Olivier Karekezi

Fils Olivier Karekezi (Kinyarwanda pronunciation: [olivje kaɾeˌcezi] (listen); born 25 May 1983) is a Rwandan footballer who currently plays for Swedish side Råå IF in Division 3 Södra Götaland.[1] He is also a former captain of the Rwanda national team.

Olivier Karekezi
Karekezi playing for Östers IF on 23 July 2011.
Personal information
Full name Fils Olivier Karekezi
Date of birth (1983-05-25) 25 May 1983
Place of birth Kigali, Rwanda
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Råå IF
Number 15
Youth career
1989–2001 APR
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 APR
2005–2007 Helsingborgs IF 60 (18)
2008–2009 Hamarkameratene 32 (6)
2010–2011 Östers IF 49 (6)
2011–2012 APR
2012–2013 CA Bizertin 7 (1)
2014 Trelleborgs FF 15 (4)
2015–2017 Råå IF
2018– Råå IF
National team
2000–2013 Rwanda 55 (24)
Teams managed
2017–2018 Rayon Sports
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Olivier Karekezi grew up in Kigali, where he attended Rugunga primary school. He used to spend most of his time playing football at Ste Famille primary school "SAHARA" sandy playground, where he kick-started his football journey with fellow teens among others "GANGI" Hategekimana Bonaventure (R.I.P). They both joined APR at around the same period of time in 2002, and continued to enjoy the game together at a higher level; that was then well-known as 1ère Division.

He signed for Helsingborgs IF in 2005, leaving his native club APR FC, and scored five goals in 18 matches during the 2005 season. In 2006, he scored 11 goals for Helsingborg and thereby became their top scorer in Allsvenskan. In January 2008 he transferred to Hamarkameratene. In March 2010 he joined Swedish second division club Östers IF on a two-year deal.[2]

Karekezi took pay cut to play for his former club APR. The attacking midfielder, who has been getting US$52,000 (Rwf30.9m) a year at Swedish second division side Östers IF, has already agreed a two- year-deal with the Primus league champions in the region of US$24, 000 (Rwf14m) a year.[3]

Towards the end of September 2012, he joined Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club CA Bizertin in a two-year deal.[4] In July 2013, he announced that he would retire from football when his contract with Bizertin expires in March 2015.[5] However, he joined Swedish third-tier outfit Trelleborgs FF on 22 January 2014.[6]

International career

Karekezi made his international debut for Rwanda in 2000, and represented his country at the 2004 African Cup of Nations.

After 13 years with the national team, he announced his retirement from international football in late August 2013.[7]

International goals
Scores and results list Rwanda's goal tally first.[8]
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References
  1. Olivier Karekezi tilbage i Råå IF, skanesport.se, 26 March 2018
  2. http://herr.osterfotboll.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2200:karekezi-klar-foer-oester&catid=62:alaget&Itemid=201
  3. Ostine Arinaitwe (19 August 2011). "Karekezi Takes Huge Pay Cut to Play for APR". The New Times. Rwanda. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  4. Bonnie Mugabe (22 September 2012). "Karekezi signs for Tunisia's Bizerte FC". The New Times. Rwanda. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  5. Bonnie Mugabe (21 July 2013). "Karekezi set to retire". The New Times. Rwanda. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  6. "Olivier Karekezi klar för TFF!" [Olivier Karekezi is ready for TFF!] (in Swedish). Trelleborgs FF. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  7. Bonnie Mugabe (27 August 2013). "Karekezi retires". The New Times. Rwanda. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  8. Földesi, László. "Olivier Karekezi – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 November 2011.


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