Forward Emmanuel Arnold Okwi has officially announced his retirement from international football.
The player took to his social media pages to confirm the decision.
Below is an excerpt from his statement;
Representing my country on the international stage has been a fulfilling dream that came true. Donning the Uganda Cranes shirt always left a special feeling and captaining our team was an absolute privilege and honour.
An exciting new era for Ugandan football is coming up with East Africa hosting the CHAN later this August and subsequently the AFCON 2027 with many young footballers coming up. That is why, having cherished all those memories, I believe it is time for me to bow out and pave the way for our talented young football players.
I will always hold close to my heart the love shown to me by all the fans and my special thanks go to my family, Coach Bobby Williamson who handed me a debut, all the successive coaches thereafter with whom we created memories together through thick and thin and of course the leadership at the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA).
Okwi, 32, has played for Uganda 95 times since making his debut in 2009, scoring 28 goals in that period.
Of his 28 goals for Uganda Cranes, 22 have come in competitive games, the most by any Ugandan footballer.
He featured at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring two goals, one against DR Congo and the other against Zimbabwe.
In the aftermath of Denis Onyango’s retirement in 2021, Okwi was named captain of the Uganda Cranes. He last featured for Uganda Cranes in 2023 during the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.
Currently plying his trade at Kiyovu SC, Okwi has played for several clubs including SC Villa, Simba SC, Young Africans, Etoile du Sahel, SonderjyskE, Al Ittihad, Al Zawra’a and Erbil SC.
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