Olivier Karekezi


Fils Olivier Karekezi is a Rwandan footballer who currently plays for Swedish side Råå IF in Division 3 Södra Götaland. He is also a former captain of the Rwanda national team.

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. 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.
Karekezi took pay cut to play for his former club APR. The attacking midfielder, who has been getting US$52,000 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 a year.
Towards the end of September 2012, he joined Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club CA Bizertin in a two-year deal. In July 2013, he announced that he would retire from football when his contract with Bizertin expires in March 2015. However, he joined Swedish third-tier outfit Trelleborgs FF on 22 January 2014.

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.

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.8 December 2001Stade Amahoro, Kigali3–03–02001 CECAFA Cup
2.13 October 2002Accra Sports Stadium, Accra1–02–42004 African Cup of Nations qualification
3.3 December 2002Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial Stadium, Arusha1–01–02002 CECAFA Cup
4.12 October 2003Stade Amahoro, Kigali2–03–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.2 December 2003Khartoum Stadium, Khartoum1–02–22003 CECAFA Cup
6.2 December 2003Khartoum Stadium, Khartoum2–12–22003 CECAFA Cup
7.14 August 2004Kampala, Uganda?–?2–1Friendly
8.11 December 2004Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa2–14–22004 CECAFA Cup
9.19 December 2004Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa?–?5–12004 CECAFA Cup
10.8 December 2005Stade Amahoro, Kigali1–01–02005 CECAFA Cup
11.8 October 2006Antoinette Tubman Stadium, Monrovia1–22–32008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
12.25 March 2007Estadio Internacional, Malabo1–11–32008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
13.8 September 2007Stade Amahoro, Kigali4–04–02008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
14.13 December 2007Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam1–09–02007 CECAFA Cup
15.13 December 2007Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam9–09–02007 CECAFA Cup
16.31 May 2008Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali1–03–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification
17.8 June 2008Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa2–12–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
18.14 June 2008Stade Régional Nyamirambo, Kigali3–13–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification
19.15 November 2011Stade Amahoro, Kigali1–03–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
20.26 November 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam1–01–02011 CECAFA Cup
21.2 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam3–25–22011 CECAFA Cup
22.2 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam4–25–22011 CECAFA Cup
23.2 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam5–25–22011 CECAFA Cup
24.8 December 2011Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam2–12–12011 CECAFA Cup