Denis Onyango is looking forward to influencing the Cranes with his experience ahead of their first game of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations happening in Morocco.
The Uganda Cranes goalkeeper last featured at AFCON in 2019. And it was Onyango’s second AFCON tournament.
Uganda will play its first game against the one-time AFCON champion Tunisia in Rabat.
On his third appearance at AFCON, Onyango acknowledges that the team is full of young stars, and his experience will come in handy.
“My task is mostly to encourage the players and make them aware that it is possible regardless of who we play,” said Onyango.
“They need to know that living on hard work and more concentration and focus is needed because we are playing difficult teams,” he added.
Uganda Cranes’ best performance in recent competitions has been reaching the round of 16, which they achieved in Egypt in 2019.
“The last Afcon we played was a couple of years back. We have different generations of players and a lot of young players.”
“Our target is to get to the next round, which is the Round of 16, which we did last time. And we shall take it one game at a time,” said Onyango.
The 2017 African-based African Player of the Year returned to the national team this year, four years after he had announced his retirement from national duties.
“I have been away for four years but it’s the hunger for the game and the passion for the game which has given me everything I have in life. So I will keep going as long as I have.”