Uganda Cranes skipper Khalid Aucho has declared that the national team will head into the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) armed with belief, unity, and the determination to surprise the continent.
After missing the last edition, Uganda makes a long-awaited return to Africa’s biggest football stage this December, landing in what many have called a “group of death” alongside Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, and regional rivals Tanzania.
Aucho, however, refuses to be intimidated. “It’s not an easy group,” he admitted, “but we also know our capabilities.”
The midfield general believes Uganda’s mix of battle-hardened players and hungry new faces gives them a real chance to defy expectations.
“With the experience we have added to the squad, we can combine well and compete. It will be tough, but I believe we can advance to the knockout round,” he said.
The 32-year-old Tanzanian-based star views this tournament as more than just another campaign, it’s a mission to inspire a nation and perhaps his final AFCON appearance.
“I know this could be one of my last AFCONs, so I want to give everything for my country,” Aucho confessed.
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He emphasized the need for composure and leadership within the group.
“Experience brings calmness and guidance,” he noted, stressing how vital senior players will be in steadying the younger ones. “The young players are humble and willing to listen, and that makes it easier for us seniors to share advice. Blending youth and experience creates balance, the energy of the young ones and the composure of the older ones. That brotherhood is what drives us forward.”
Uganda last reached the AFCON knockout phase in 2019, and Aucho insists the team’s objective this time is to go even further. To him, a place in the quarter-finals would represent meaningful progress for the Cranes.
Still, the captain remains realistic about the challenge ahead, naming Senegal, Morocco, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Egypt as the early favourites.
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