Vipers defender Nico Wadada delighted about Cranes return after 6 years.

Vipers Sports club defender Nicholas Wakiro Wadada is a happy man making a return to the men senior national team – Cranes fold for close to six years.

The roving right back, is among the 28- man squad named by the Uganda Cranes Head Coach Paul Put ahead of two high-profile international friendlies to be held in Marrakech, Morocco.

Wadada who has been impressive for the 2024/2025 SUPL Champions, and in the League Cup (Stanbic Uganda Cup), makes return having last represented his country six years ago against Malawi in the 2019 AFCON Qualifiers.

A happy Wadada expressed his desire to continue serving his nation after a long spell out of the fold and expressed his readiness to give his best for his country while speaking to Sport256.

Its a special feeling for me making a return after a while, am greatful for another chance to represent my country and i promise to start from where I ended, it’s target for every footballer and I think am coming back with more experience. I have been working so hard since my return to Vipers to help the team win titles because that was my promise returning to the club that had taken two season not winning it, it also adds alot on my CV, am happy we have won the league and hoping much we win the Stanbic Uganda Cup as well. I had a feeling from the start that the hard work and performance in the league would earn me this call. He added.

Wadada returns with vast experience and brings health competition at right back, where they have to negotiate who starts at right along with Scotland based Elvis Bwomono and versatile Kenneth Ssemakula.

The work-holic right back won his first senior cap against South Sudan, 11 years ago when he was promoted from the Hippos along with now Captain Aucho Khalid, Aalim Jamal and Joseph Ochaya in 2014 for the CECAFA Championship.

The former captain of the Venoms, guided the team to their 7th league title this season and the 4th on his name. Wadada first won it in the 2009/10 season, won it again in 2014/15 and then 2017/18 before he left the country to join Tanzanian Giants Azam.

The experienced right back who has won the competition twice before, will be chasing for his third Stanbic Uganda Cup title when they take on 13 time SUPL and 10-time(s) Stanbic Uganda Champions KCCA FC in the final at Kadiba stadium.

The 28 summoned players, 12 are local based in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League, and the 16 ply their trade outside the country.

The team will face continental big boys Cameroon on Friday, 6th June before taking on The Gambia on Monday, 9th June 2025

The selected local players and officials will convene at FUFA House in Mengo on Monday, 2nd June 2025, at 12:00 pm. The contingent will then travel to Marrakech later that day. All foreign-based players will link up with the squad directly in Morocco.

Match Fixtures

Friday, 6th June 2025: Cameroon vs Uganda – Kick-off at 20:00HRS (10:00 PM EAT)

Monday, 9th June 2025: Uganda vs Gambia – Kick-off at 16:00HRS (6:00 PM EAT)

Full Uganda Cranes Squad

Goalkeepers

Isima Watenga – Golden Arrows FC (South Africa), Nafian Alionzi – Defence Forces FC (Ethiopia), Joel Mutakubwa – BUL FC (Uganda) and Hannington Sebwalunyo – NEC FC (Uganda).

Defenders

Elvis Bwomono – St Mirren FC (Scotland), Nico Wadada – Vipers SC (Uganda), Elio Capradossi – AS Cittadella (Italy), Arnold Odong – SC Villa (Uganda), Toby Sibbick – Wigan Athletic FC (England), Hilary Mukundane – Vipers SC (Uganda), Jordan Obita – Hibernian FC (Scotland) and Isaac Muleme – Viktoria Žižkov (Czech Republic).

Midfielders

Bobosi Byaruhanga – Oakland Roots SC (USA), Kenneth Semakula – Club Africain (Tunisia), Allan Oyirwoth – New England Revolution (USA), Enock Ssebagala – NEC FC (Uganda), Abdu Karim Watambala – Vipers SC (Uganda), Allan Okello – Vipers SC (Uganda) and Travis Mutyaba – Bordeaux (France).

Forwards

Dennis Omedi – APR FC (Rwanda), Hakim Kiwanuka – APR FC (Rwanda), Shafik Nana Kwikiriza – KCCA FC (Uganda), Rogers Mato – FK Vardar (North Macedonia), Steven Mukwala – Simba SC (Tanzania), Usama Arafat – KCCA FC (Uganda), John Paul Dembe – AC Hacken (Sweden), Patrick Jonah Kakande – SC Villa (Uganda) and Ivan Ahimbisibwe – URA FC (Uganda)

These friendlies form part of Uganda’s preparation for upcoming international competitions and Coach Paul Put will be using them to assess player readiness and squad chemistry