Qualification history
Rwanda’s qualifying campaign for the 1998 FIFA World Cup France™ was the country’s first bid to reach world football’s showpiece event. The Wasps are yet to make it beyond the group phase of qualifying, and their South Africa 2010 campaign ended on a particularly disappointing note as they failed to record a single victory in their final preliminary group. The players and fans will no doubt be hoping for a marked improvement this time around.
The current crop
With the exception of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, Rwanda have never appeared at an international tournament. But with a talented crop of youngsters at their disposal – many of whom played at the recent FIFA U-17 World Cup 2011 Mexico – the future certainly looks promising for the country’s national team.
The key players
Very few Rwandan players are based overseas, so the bulk of the national team squad is drawn from major domestic club sides APR FC and Rayon Sports. Powerful forward Olivier Karekezi is one of the few players to have found success abroad, and his considerable experience of Scandinavian football should make him a key figure in the Rwandan side for years to come.
Coach: Vacant
Best performance in a FIFA competition: None
Former stars: Desire Mbobabucya, Claude Kalisa, Hamadi Ndikumana
