Veteran basketball player Aristide Mugabe has retired from international basketball at the age of 34, putting an end to an 11-year career with the national team. The point-guard currently plays for Patriots on club level. Aristide Mugabe made his international debut for Rwanda in 2011 in the Afrobasket qualifiers. In his prime, he was one of the key players in the national team, putting up important plays on the court, and served as a captain from 2013 to 2019. He featured in three Afrobasket tournaments of 2011, 2013, and 2017. He made his last appearance with the national team in March this year during the first window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers that was held in Dakar, Senegal in March. It has been real !11 years representing my country 🇷🇼 🙏🏾 God made it happen for me, It is has been an honor and a blessing to be a part of the National team(DREAM CAME TRUE ) pic.twitter.com/jHqQbYXAvy — Mugabe Aristide (@AriMugabe88) June 30, 2022 Rwanda finished last in its group after failing to win a single game against the rest of the teams in Group B which include Tunisia, South Sudan and Cameroon. Via his Twitter account, he posted on Thursday, June 30: “It has been real! 11 years representing my country, God made it happen for me, it has been an honor and a blessing to be a part of the National team (DREAM CAME TRUE)”. He added “I thank God I thank everyone who has been part of my journey; Ferwaba, my brothers(players), all the coaches, doctors, my friends and family, MY BELOVED FANS, thank you all for believing in me and supporting me”. “Now the journey comes to an end, I am grateful, proud that I gave it all. Now its time for a new chapter. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, LOVE and RESPECT.”
