African President Summons National Team Goalkeeper, Questions Him Over Match Blunder
- President Yoweri Museveni treated the Ugandan national football team, the Cranes, to a lavish welcome at the State House in Entebbe
- The squad celebrated their quarter-final achievement at the 2024 African Nations Championship, where they reached the quarter-finals
- During the visit, the president questioned the national team goalkeeper about a blunder in a match against South Africa
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda welcomed the national team to the State House in Entebbe on Wednesday and questioned the goalkeeper following his blunder during a match.
The squad paid a courtesy visit to the leader to celebrate their achievements at the recently concluded 2024 African Nations Championship, where the Cranes reached the quarterfinals.
Uganda crashed out of the tournament after losing 1-0 to Senegal, joining co-hosts Kenya and Tanzania in exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage.
Source: Getty Images
Oumar Ba's second-half strike was enough for the Lions of Teranga, but the scoreline did not reflect all that happened on the pitch of play.
It was a gallant fight by the Cranes, who impressed their home fans against the star-studded defending champions. Museveni said on Wednesday:
"This evening, Maama and I hosted the Uganda Cranes for dinner at Entebbe after their commendable performance in the tournament. I took the opportunity to share a brief analysis of their game.
"As I joined Maama to watch the Cranes playing against Algeria recently in Nakasero after my official duties, I reflected on a principle I often teach in the military: every Force has an Area of Responsibility (AOR).
"When everyone goes on the offensive and leaves the defense and goalkeeper exposed, the opponent can easily exploit that gap. That was my analysis of the game. However, as we say in Swahili, “Tafadhali,” our team's efforts cannot go unappreciated. The Cranes fought valiantly."
While welcoming the team to the State House, Museveni summoned goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa about his infamous blunder against South Africa.
The president hilariously asked:
“What had happened to your fullback? Why did you have to come from your penalty area and fail to catch the ball?"
Mutakubwa took time to respond, saying he was caught in the heat of the moment.
President Museveni eventually applauded Mutakubwa’s efforts through the tournament, referring to him as a “very good goalkeeper” who made several “very serious saves.”
The hilarious moment has gotten social media users reacting. @yvonnemangunda wrote on X:
Imagine your country's President publicly asking you to explain mistakes made in match. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni asking goalkeeper to explain errors that he made in a match.
@IshumaelSi58170 replied:
"As a president, he wants updates straight from the horse's mouth. Bt isn't it interference of political party in the game of soccer coz there is a relevant Ministry that shld convey all those answers to the Head of State."
@pangy2010 added:
"Looks like a light hearted moment."
Source: Getty Images
Museveni seeks forgiveness from Ugandans
Legit.ng earlier reported how Museveni publicly apologised for "mistakes" made during his nearly four decades in power, marking an unprecedented admission of government failures.
In a joint statement with his wife, First Lady Janet Museveni, the president admitted to governance failures, citing “laxity” and “negligence” within his administration.
Source: Legit.ng
