APR captain Claude Niyomugabo is currently playing arguably the best football of his life.

The 25-year-old is among the players starring at 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup which is underway in Tanzania, with already two man-of-the-match prizes in his bag after three group stage matches.

Niyomugabo waited for his time to shine and he is now lighting up the skies like fire crackers on Christmas Eve. In a rejuvenated APR team under Darko Novic, the defender is establishing himself as the Serbian’s star man in Tanzania.

Things haven't been easy at all for the left back in the very beginning. When he joined APR from city rivals AS Kigali in 2019, he struggled for playing time during the first two seasons until then first choice defender Emmanuel Imanishimwe left for AS FAR in August 2021

Imanishimwe’s departure to Rabat turned out to be Niyomugabo’s gain. Then head coach Adil Mohamed Erradi gave him a chance and he never looked back.

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Niyomugabo has since risen to stardom and has gone on to inherit APR FC’s captaincy, taking over from Prince Buregeya.

The defender has established himself as a true leader at the back as he does the needful to get the job done. One of his qualities is that he keeps a situation simple even when the club’s defense seems to be under pressure; he also makes sure he does the basic things right on the field.

Under former coaches Adil Erradi and Thierry Froger, Niyomugabo shared the left back position with Christian Ishimwe. Froger would at times deploy him into central midfield because of his versatility and, surely, he adapted to the position and excelled.

After Ombrorenga Fitina was stripped off the captaincy last season and Prince Buregeya struggling with playing time, Niyomugabo was handed the armband and, even in a squad full of senior players like Shara Shaiboub, Taddeo Lwanga and Victor Mbaoma, he still exercised his leadership duty on and off the pitch while also calming down the dressing room even when things turned out tough.

With Ishimwe now gone where he joined Police FC in July, the left-back position has now become the bonafide property of Niyomugabo.

APR have brought in a host of fantastic talents across Africa and their first official test is the 2024 CECAFA Kagame Cup which is underway in Tanzania with Novic’s side set to face Florent Ibenge’s Al Hilal in the semifinals at Azam Complex on Friday, July 19.

Niyomugabo has shown his quality over the course of the campaign with superb performances which twice won him man of the match prizes, first in the 1-0 win over El Merreikh Bentiu and the 1-1 draw with CS Villa.

Leaders lead by example and Niyomugabo is going by that ancient adage.

His performance has not only helped APR to win games but also served as a yardstick for each of the current players to follow.

Niyomugabo is the heart beat of APR and it is evident he has lots under his socks for the club in the 2024/25 PNL season and also the CAF Champions League.

In the defender, Novic has got a gem who can take APR FC to greater heights during the 2024/25 season.