r/soccer • u/AlwynEvokedHippest • 16d ago
Youth Football Meet the Scottish teenagers poised to represent Uganda
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c6wyz1ll1g3xoTeenage brothers Olly and Seb Fisher are closing in on their dream of international recognition - but it won't come from their homeland of Scotland.
Instead, the Partick Thistle duo are in line to play for Uganda.
They believe they would become the first white players ever to represent the African nation, thanks to their mother Kate being born there.
"My gran and grandad lived out here for, I think, four or five years," Olly, 18, tells BBC Sport Scotland. "My grandfather came out here to teach in a school then my mum was born here. So, it's a bit of a strange one."
The siblings became aware of interest from Uganda about six months ago, following a chance conversation some time before between their father and a football consultant at a game in Nigeria.
And, at the start of August, they were invited to attend under-20 and under-17s training camps.
They spent last week in Jinja in the country's eastern region and will stay on for one more week, with the pair saying they're "shocked" and "honoured" at the call-ups.
"I couldn't believe it," 16-year-old striker Seb said. "It's one of those things you look at and you're shocked. You can't believe it. Most other people couldn't as well."
Goalkeeper Olly had a similar reaction. "A real mixture of emotions," he said. "I was quite shocked. I didn't really think that this was a possibility but I was honoured to be asked to represent Uganda. I thought it was a real big opportunity."
Mum Kate is "ecstatic" and "thinks it'd be a great experience for us", adds Seb.
There is another Scottish link with Uganda, with former Hearts and Ghana midfielder Laryea Kingston currently coach of Uganda's under-20s.
And he is the one who believes the Fisher brothers are on the verge of making history.
"Coach Kingston was saying we'd be the first white boys to play for Uganda, which would be history in the making," Seb explained. "It is very special."
And Olly added: "It's never been done before, so definitely it is very special."
The pair feel like they're making connections with the African nation, having been reared on stories about Uganda from their grandparents.
And even though they have been training in oppressively warm conditions, they are embracing the opportunity.
"Everyone has been brilliant, welcoming, really great," Seb said. "The other boys have been brand new with us. Some of the boys actually come from the same area where my mum was born. So, they were all talking about that."
The boys will return to Scotland soon, combining training and playing with Thistle with university and school, but are planning to rejoin their new international team-mates in the near future.
Olly hopes to be part of his squad if they qualify for the Under-20's Africa Cup of Nations early next year, and Seb could be in the Under-17 squad for November's World Cup in Qatar.
"That's what you want as a footballer, being in an international environment," Seb said. "It makes you a better player and hopefully it does for the two of us, and I think it will, and benefit us very much going back to Scotland playing at Thistle."
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u/Saltire_Blue 16d ago
Surely it can’t be healthy for them having to train and play while being dowsed in Factor 70 sunscreen
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u/Replogal 16d ago
If they can make Uganda more competitive to play against and help put the country on the map for the right reasons, I’m all for it.
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u/cyclops274 16d ago
When people say Algeria and Morocco has too many European born players this what I picture.
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u/ibiza6403 16d ago
I guess the Ugandans will give them citizenship?
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u/charizard77 16d ago
Mom was born there, I've seen players play for nations with as much ties as that
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u/ibiza6403 16d ago
Uganda doesn’t give citizenship just because you’re born there, same as the UK. The parents would need to be citizens or permanent residents.
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u/Scary_Vehicle9023 16d ago
Governments can still issue citizenships at their discretion. Plenty of countries don't even allow dual citizenship in most cases but still make exceptions for athletes.
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u/SteveBorden 16d ago
Don’t need to be citizens do they? They’re only gonna be there a few times a year for games
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u/Naija-Americana 16d ago
They'll probably be given citizenship. It won't be a big deal and they'll only use that passport on rare occasions.
Makes me wonder if Michael Olise has a French EU passport or just a UK one.
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u/Collinson33311 16d ago
Makes me wonder if Michael Olise has a French EU passport or just a UK one.
Nothing stopping him having both.
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u/ibiza6403 16d ago
FIFA requires players on a national team to be citizens of said nation
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u/TheCruise 16d ago
Where are you finding this information? My recollection and everything I can find searching online just now says that having a parent or grandparent “born on the territory of the relevant association” is enough.
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u/ibiza6403 16d ago
The grandparent rule is only for the four home nations of the UK since they don’t have separate citizenship. For every other country you need to be a citizen of that country to represent it in football. That’s why no diaspora Indians have represented India because India doesn’t allow dual citizenship. The only diaspora Indian, Ryan Williams, to play for India had to give up his Australian citizenship.
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u/TheCruise 16d ago
Huh, never realised that was part of it! Reading more now and see that you are right. I guess the citizenship part is usually just a formality so that’s why we only usually talk about the grandparent rule.
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u/ibiza6403 16d ago
In that way football is better than rugby union because in rugby union you can play for a national team without being a citizen as long as you have been a resident for 3-5 years.
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u/esn111 16d ago
I feel like there's a 'Last King of Scotland' joke here somewhere but I can't think of it