Lague Byiringiro

Lague Byiringiro (born 25 October 2000) is a Rwandan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ettan Fotboll club Sandvikens and the Rwanda national team.

Lague Byiringiro
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-10-25) 25 October 2000
Place of birth Gitega, Rwanda
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Sandvikens
Number 14
Youth career
Isonga[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2023 APR
2023– Sandvikens 12 (5)
International career‡
Rwanda U20
2018 Rwanda U23 1 (0)
2021– Rwanda 9 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 July 2023

Club career

Byiringiro was promoted to the APR first team in the Rwanda Premier League (RPL) in January 2018,[2] and played in the Heroes Cup later that month.[3] He was nominated for Young Player of the Year at the 2018 RPL Awards after APR won its 17th title.[4][5] They also won the Super Cup that offseason.[6] Byiringiro was sidelined in March 2019 after he suffered a torn hamstring during a league fixture versus Sunrise FC.[7][8] In May 2020 he was signed to a two-year contract extension.[2] The 2019–20 Premier League season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Rwanda, and APR were awarded the league title by the Rwanda Football Federation.[9]

He attended trials with Swiss club FC Zürich in April 2021.[10]

In February 2022, Byiringiro was signed to a four-year extension by APR after months of negotiations, since his contract was due to expire at the conclusion of the season.[11] By this time, he had established himself as one of the best forwards in the country.[11]

In January 2023, Swedish club Sandvikens announced the signing of Byiringiro.[12]

International career

Youth

Byiringiro represented the national under-20 team during 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualification,[13] scoring against Kenya in the first round.[14] A few months later he played one game with the Rwanda U23s during 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification.[15]

Senior

Byiringiro was first called up to the senior national team in March 2019 ahead of a Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ivory Coast,[16] sitting on the bench during the 3–0 defeat. He was then called up by manager Vincent Mashami in October for a friendly against Tanzania,[17] and again failed to make an appearance. In November 2020, he was named to the provisional squad ahead of a doubleheader of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Cape Verde, but was left off the roster during final cuts.[18]

Byiringiro made his senior international debut on 26 January 2021, replacing an injured Bertrand Iradukunda in the starting lineup of Rwanda's 3–2 group stage victory over Togo in the 2020 African Nations Championship.[19][20] He played an instrumental role in the win that qualified them to the knockout stage, drawing praise for his ability to create chances through his dribbling, pace and vision.[20][21][22] He also started in their quarter-final defeat to Guinea.[23] Byiringiro scored his first international goal in his third match, an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique on 24 March 2021. After coming on for Thierry Manzi as a halftime substitute,[24] he sent a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area past Mozambique goalkeeper Júlio Franque to secure the 1–0 victory.[25]

Career statistics

International
As of 25 March 2021[19]
Rwanda
YearAppsGoals
202131
Total31

International goals
Scores and results list Rwanda's goal tally first.[19]
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.24 March 2021Nyamirambo Regional Stadium, Kigali, Rwanda Mozambique1–01–02021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Club
APR

References
  1. Mugabe, Bonnie (28 November 2017). "Isonga Fc Eye TIDA Title In Abidjan". KT Press. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  2. Mo, Harry (21 February 2021). "Byiringiro Lague is wanted by the Swiss team". consultancyprogress.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  3. Kamasa, Peter (21 January 2018). "PHOTOS: Police FC edge APR in Heroes' Cup opener". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  4. Joseph, Emmanuel (21 October 2018). "Hakizimana wins Rwanda Premier League Player of the Year Award". Ducor Sports. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  5. Mugabe, Bonnnie (28 June 2018). "APR FC Wins 17th Rwanda Football League Title". KT Press. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  6. Kamasa, Peter (6 October 2018). "APR are Super Cup winners". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  7. "Nshuti Dominique Savio na Byiringiro Lague bafashije APR FC kwihimura kuri Sunrise FC-AMAFOTO". Inyarwanda (in Kinyarwanda). 30 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  8. Kamasa, Peter (6 April 2019). "Lague Byiringiro out for a month with hamstring injury". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  9. Kamasa, Peter (22 May 2020). "APR crowned champions as season ends due to Covid-19". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  10. Sikubwabo, Damas (11 March 2021). "Byiringiro set for pro trials at Switzerland based club". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  11. Nsabimana, Eddie (8 February 2022). "Rwanda: Byiringiro Extends Stay at APR Until 2026". The New Times. Retrieved 17 July 2023 – via AllAfrica.
  12. Uwimana, Jean Jules (27 January 2023). "Hope Lague has signed for Sandvikens IF in Sweden". Kigal Today (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  13. Lague Byiringiro at Global Sports Archive
  14. Mugabe, Bonnie (2 April 2018). "CAF U-20 Qualifiers: Rwanda Holds Kenya To 1-All Draw Away In Machakos". KT Press. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  15. "Amavubi y'abatarengeje 23 yanganyije na RDC - AMAFOTO". Rwanda Magazine (in Kinyarwanda). 14 November 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  16. "Amavubi off to Ivory Coast for final AFCON qualifier". The New Times. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  17. "Rwanda squad named for friendly against Tanzania". africanfootball.com. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  18. Furaha, Jacques (8 November 2020). "Afcon 2021 Qualifiers: Rwanda Coach Names Final Squad For Cape Verde". KT Press. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  19. Lague Byiringiro at National-Football-Teams.com
  20. "Amavubi's journey to the CHAN 2020 quarterfinals". The New Times. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  21. Nsabimana, Eddie (25 February 2021). "Young players to watch in 2020/21 Rwanda Premier League". The New Times. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  22. "CHAN: Highlights, standings and players after three matches". panafricafootball.com. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  23. "Guinea eliminates Rwanda, book semi-final date with Mali". Kick442. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  24. Kagabo, Canisius (25 March 2021). "Umukino we wa mbere mu ikipe y'igihugu nkuru, igitego cya mbere – Byiringiro Lague yavuze uwo yagituye". Isimbi.rw (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  25. "Young super-sub Lague Byiringiro lifts Rwanda to crucial win over Mozambique to keep AFCON qualification possible". panafricafootball.com. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
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