Charles Livingstone Mbabazi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mbabazi celebrates St. Pats FAI Cup Semi Final Win in 2003. He would not play in the final due to his heart problems

Charles Livingstone Mbabazi (born October 18, 1980) is a footballer from Uganda who achieved fame at St Patrick's Athletic Football Club in Ireland. Mbabazi is a versatile player with the ability to play on either wing or as a forward. During his time at the club he used the name Mbabazi on the back of his jersey.

Nicknamed "Charlie" or "Babaz," he made his Saints debut on St. Stephen's Day 1999 against Athlone Town in the Leinster Senior Cup. Mbabazi became a huge fans' favourite, scoring his first goal against Longford Town in a League match at Richmond Park. His hero status at St Pat's was cemented when he scored a stunning goal at home to Bray Wanderers, just 4 days after the death of his father and brother in Uganda.

In 2003 he was forced to retire due to a heart problem after collapsing on the pitch in a league game versus Bohemians FC. His testimonial against a Brian Kerr select took place in November 2004 before his return to Uganda. He is regarded by St. Pat's fans as one of the most talented players to have ever played for the club and was the first African international footballer to play in the League of Ireland. Mbabazi won over twenty caps for Uganda

He has since returned to the game, turning out for Vietnamese side LG-ACB Ha Noi during their 2006 V-League season.[1][2]

[edit] References

Phat, Minh. "Hanoi football rises to the occasion in V-League 2006", Thanhnien News, 2006-02-27. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. 

"Da Nang begin V-League on track", Vietnamese Football Federation, 2006-01-17. Retrieved on 2007-03-13. 

This biographical article related to Ugandan football is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.