For the first time ever, a Ugandan national team will play at the FIFA World Cup, and at the heart of this historic journey stands Okello Richard, the young forward from Jinja trusted to wear the captain’s armband.
Born on 27th March 2008, Okello’s rise through Uganda’s youth football ranks tells a story of steady progress and quiet resilience. From the dusty pitches of Masese and Amerigo academies, through El Cambio SA and now BUL FC Junior Team, the boy with a dream has grown into a leader with purpose, but it is his heart that drives him further.
Okello’s story begins in Jinja, where footballs made from banana fibres and plastic bags were his first tools of trade.
He joined organized football in 2015, playing for local academies before his talent opened doors. His journey through Amerigo SA, El Cambio SA, Masese SA, and eventually BUL FC Junior Team shaped him into the composed yet hungry striker he is today.
His role models mirror his ambition — Isma Mugulusi, locally, known for his skill, speed, and self-belief — traits that define Okello’s game too.
When asked about his favorite quote, Okello simply says ‘Only God Knows.’ A line that perfectly captures the humility of a boy now standing at football’s biggest youth stage.
He first led his peers during the CECAFA U17 Zonal Qualifiers, guiding Uganda to victory and then through the AFCON U17 Tournament, where his consistency and composure stood out.
Head coach Brian Ssenyondo saw something special in him: the calm in chaos, the voice that settles nerves, and the example that needs no speech.
‘Okello Richard is our captain and he is leading the team. He is leading us to Qatar till when the edition is done because it is also his last with the U-17s,’said Coach Ssenyondo while unveiling the final 21-man squad.
‘He has qualified the team to the World Cup. He has not finished his role. So we still maintain him.’
Behind every captain stands a core of trusted lieutenants and for the Uganda Cubs, that core includes Walusimbi Abubakali, Sengooba Hamuza and Bogere James. Each hand-picked for their work ethic, discipline and influence in the dressing room. Together, they form a strong leadership team of the Cubs squad.
On the pitch, Okello leads from the front, Walusimbi keeps the midfield engine ticking, Sengooba anchors the defense with calm precision and Bogere energizes the team’s transitions at the front too. Off the field, they are the bridge between coaches and players; the heartbeat of a group carrying an entire nation’s hopes.
On 5th November 2025, Uganda will line up against Canada U17 in their first match of the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2025.
In the tunnel, Okello will walk first, carrying the captain’s armband and the weight of millions watching from home, the grown plus the young players in schools and dusty pitches, dreaming that their turn will come.
Away from football, Okello is like any other teenager, he loves listening to music, enjoys rice, sweet potatoes and chicken. He studies at Jinja Progressive Academy (JIPRA). But once the whistle blows, he transforms. Focused, fearless and selfless.
The captaincy has refined him. It is no longer just about scoring goals; it is about setting standards, lifting teammates and embodying Uganda’s values of teamwork, respect and belief.
Okello Richard may only be 17, but his legacy is already written in gold ink. He will forever be the first Ugandan to captain a national team at a FIFA World Cup. Whether Uganda wins, draws, or learns through defeat, the story of this young man from Jinja leading the Cubs on the world stage will be told for a lifetime.
