The next generation of superstars in world football has started making waves and they are being noticed globally. Spain has Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, Turkey boasts of Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, England has Kobbie Mainoo and Ethan Nwaneri and so forth. Africa’s also got talent at its disposal where Senegal’s eyes are on talented Lamine Camara. Ghana also has in their fold Aziz Issah who features for Barcelona’s second team, to mention a few. For Rwanda, there is a complete pool of fantastic talents which promise the take world football by storm as they continue to show signs of reaching the apex of their fame before 2025 ends. In no particular order, Times Sport picks the best young Rwanda players to look out for in 2025. William Mugisha (NIU Huskies, USA) Mugisha is the younger brother of Amavubi winger Jojea Kwizera. He plays College football for Northern Illinois University Huskies. The 18-year-old striker has been tipped for success, having played an instrumental role since joining NIU Huskies in January 2024. He spent two seasons at Utah State Eastern prior to joining the Huskies. Mugisha earned NJCAA Division I Second Team All-America honors in 2023 after helping the Eagles to an 11-4-1 record (11 wins, 4 draws 1 defeat). He appeared in 15 games in 2023, making 14 starts and went on to score 19 goals with six assists as the Eagles finished third in the nation with 44 points. In 2024, he scored 13 goals for Huskies and has already attracted interest from teams for the next Major League Soccer (MLS) draft. Hakim Sahabo (Beerschot, Belgium) The first half of the 2024/25 season was difficult for Hakim Sahabo as he was demoted to the Standard Liege second team in the 3rd League. He also lost his place in Amavubi set up due to disciplinary reasons. Sahabo hopes to find a lifeline at Belgian top tier side Beerschot who are close to signing him on a loan deal. It could be the turning point of his career as he hopes to return to the peak if his game. Josias King Furaha (FK Jerv, Norway) The talented winger had a great 2024 season for FK Jerv in Norway scoring seven goals in 19 league games as they gained promotion back to the second tier league. Furaha’s statistics in all competitions for 2024 for him where scored nine goals in 24 games. He is keen to play a key role in FK Jerv’s fortunes while he promises to prove a point to be among players who will raise the Rwandan flag in Scandinavia this 2025. With his impressive output, Amavubi could be his next stop. Anicet Ishimwe (Olympique Beja, Tunisia) The former APR forward joined Tunisian Ligue 1 club Olympique Beja in September 2024 and has already made 8 league appearances for the team. Ishimwe is gradually getting better as he is playing in one of the best leagues on the African continent. His output seems to have improved and he is now playing mature football. The 21-year-old attacker was able to put his past behind, where he was nearing premature retirement from professional football, and he could be very essential for club and country in 2025. Claude Kayibanda (Luton Town, England) Kayibanda is a tireless defensive midfielder who features for the U19 team of English Championship side Luton Town. The 18-year-old enforcer was among the brightest spots at the Luton Town Academy last year as he was offered his first professional contract. He has scored three goals so far this season with two of them coming in the Premier League Youth Cup. 2025 is certainly a year for Kayibanda and it won't take long for him to break into the first team, should he keep making the difference and maximize what he can offer at his position. ALSO READ: Top 10 Rwandan young footballers to watch in 2023 Didier Ndayishimiye (AS Kigali, Rwanda) At 19, Ndayishimiye already has a call-up under his belt, having made his senior Rwanda debut in the 2024 CHAN qualifiers against Djibouti. The youngster, who plies his trade with AS Kigali, is a hard working defensive midfielder who does all the dirty work for the club in midfield. 2024 was a fine year for Ndayishimiye having participated in the CECAFA U20 with the Junior Amavubi. He has started getting playing time at club level and this could be a great year for him. El Schaddai Furaha (Lillestrom SK, Norway) The 18-year-old forward is the younger brother of FK Jerv's King Josias Furaha. He has already cemented his place in the setup of Norwegian second tier team SK Lillestrom. During the 2023/24 season, he netted 8 goals in 22 games in all competitions. He was capped twice by Norway at U18 level in 2024 but he is still eligible to switch to Amavubi. Furaha is one of Rwandan players to watch in 2025 as he continues to hone his talent at a very commmendable level. Barthazar Ndayishimiye (Bayern Munich Academy, Rwanda) The budding youngster is set to sign for former European champions Bayern Munich after successfully passing trials. Ndayishimiye was selected from the Bayern Academy Rwanda to undergo trials in Munich and is now regarded as a great prospect who can succeed in his career if groomed well. The 17-year-old teenager is capable of playing both defensive and offensive midfield roles. Dannel Nkulikiyimana (Gent, Belgium) The 16-year-old defender has established himself as a key player in the KAA Gent U18 team which features in the Elite Youth League in Belgium. Tall with great physique, Nkuliyikiyimana has become a pillar in defense of the Gent U18 team since being promoted from the U16 last summer. He has already played 8 league games for the Gent U18 team this season.
