South Sudan U-17: A New Era with Fresh Leadership and Renewed Ambition

 CECAFA U-17 Championship 2025 – Match Preview


South Sudan U-17: A New Era with Fresh Leadership and Renewed Ambition
South Sudan’s U-17 national team heads into the 2025 CECAFA Championship with quiet confidence and a hunger to build on last year’s impressive showing. The Bright Stars finished fourth in the 2024 edition after recording two group-stage wins — a 3-0 victory over Somalia and a 1-0 win against Sudan — before falling 4-0 to Tanzania in the semi-finals. In the third-place playoff, South Sudan led 2-0 at halftime but eventually lost to Somalia on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
This year marks a new chapter for the youthful side. Future Stars Football Academy goalkeeper, one of the few returnees from last year’s squad, is expected to lead the team on and off the pitch. He steps into a leadership role left vacant by former captain Ronaldo Daniel, who has surpassed the age limit for the competition.
The technical bench also sees a fresh face at the helm. Coach Manawa takes over from Nasir Yussif, who is currently pursuing his CAF B License coaching certification in Juba. Manawa’s appointment brings a renewed sense of tactical discipline and a focus on nurturing young talents to express themselves with confidence.
With a blend of experience and promising newcomers, South Sudan will aim to surpass their 2024 performance and make a bold statement on the regional stage. The team’s mission is clear — to turn lessons into victories and dreams into history.
Will the Bright Stars rise higher this year? The countdown to kickoff has begun, and South Sudan’s next generation is ready to shine.

Comments

Post a Comment

Hot this week

South Sudan Names Provisional Squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Image
By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku / Sports Hunter South Sudan - Juba, August 20, 2025   South Sudan senior national team head coach, Nicolas Dupuis has named a 27-man provisional squad ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers. The squad announcement was made public on Wednesday, August 20, through the official Facebook page of the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF). The selected players are set to begin training next week in preparation for a critical double-header against DR Congo and Mauritania. Currently sitting fifth in Group B with just three points, the Bright Stars remain winless in their qualification campaign. They suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Leopards of DR Congo on Matchday 5 in Kinshasa — a result they will be eager to avenge on home soil. South Sudan will host DR Congo on September 5 at the Juba National Stadium for Matchday 7, before traveling to Nouakchott to face Mauritania on September 9. With only a few matches remaining, Coach Dupuis and hi...
Read more

Bright Stars Begin Preparations for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Image
By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku - Juba, South Sudan – Saturday, 23 August 2025 South Sudan’s senior men’s national football team, the Bright Stars, kicked off their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers with a training session at the Juba National Stadium on Saturday morning. The session was conducted under the guidance of Assistant Coach Simon James and Fitness Coach Brin George, with players from the South Sudan Premier League taking part. The foreign-based players, alongside Head Coach Nicolas Dupuis, are expected to join the squad in the coming days. Photos from the first training session, shared on the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) official Facebook page, revealed the return of coach Kennedy Saturlino, popularly known as Dida . Saturlino, who had earlier been replaced by Mohammed Seif Both as the national team’s goalkeeping coach, was spotted back with the team, though no official communication regarding his reinstatement has been issued. Currently si...
Read more

Merriekh SC Bentiu Set for Maiden CECAFA Kagame Cup Appearance

Image
By: Emmanuel Patrick Laku - Juba, South Sudan – El Merriekh SC Bentiu will make their first-ever appearance in the CECAFA Kagame Cup 2025, scheduled for September 2–15 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with the draw set for August 26th. The South Sudan Premier League club was nominated by the South Sudan Football Federation (SSFF) after Kator FC turned down an invitation to participate in the tournament.  This development followed CAF’s decision to reject Kator from representing the country in the CAF Confederation Cup. El Merriekh’s involvement in the Kagame Cup is seen as a crucial preparation for their upcoming campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup, where they will represent South Sudan at continental level.  The tournament will give the Bentiu-based side exposure to regional competition and help them build the experience needed for the challenges ahead. The Kagame Cup will bring together 12 teams, including: Singida Black Stars FC (Tanzania), APR FC (Rwanda), Vipers SC (Ugan...
Read more