How Being a Footballer Saved His Life in the Rwandan Genocide | Eric Murangwa MBE

Power of Sport · Sep 4, 2026 · 44m

In 1994, Eric Murangwa was a goalkeeper for Rayon Sports in Kigali when the genocide against the Tutsi began. Seven armed men broke into his home and started smashing it up. One of them found his photo album and among the family pictures were photos of Eric as a footballer for one of Rwanda's biggest clubs. The soldier recognised him. That recognition saved his life.He wasn't so lucky for everyone close to him. His younger brother and many friends were killed in the genocide, in which around a million people died in just 100 days.Three years later Eric left Rwanda, resettling first in Belgium…