Toby Sibbick’s path to the Uganda Cranes has tested his patience. There were call ups without minutes, spells on the sidelines and a defence anchored by familiar names, Bevis Mugabi, Elio Capradosi and later Jordan Obita, breaking through was never going to be simple.
But football has a way of rewarding persistence, when the Burton Albion defender finally got his chance at right back, Sibbick took it. Solid, composed displays quickly earned him trust, and with that, his Cranes journey truly began.
Now, as Uganda prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations, Sibbick speaks with pride and belief.
“It’s a competition I watched growing up,” he said.
“To actually be part of it now is a dream come true. We’re hoping to do well and surprise a lot of people.”
That confidence is grounded in preparation. Training has been sharp, capped by a high intensity in house match that left him encouraged.
“The standard was good and the intensity was high,” Sibbick said.
“It’s exactly what we needed ahead of the first game. No injuries, everything went well, now we keep building.”
The ambition runs deeper than personal milestones. Uganda went out at the group stage in their last AFCON appearance in 2019, but the tone in camp feels different this time.
“As players, we want to win every game, no matter who we’re facing,” he said.
“That’s the mindset we’re taking into the tournament.”
For Sibbick, AFCON is also about changing how Uganda is viewed on the continent.
“We want to prove we’re a competitive nation and a competitive team,” he added.
“We want to go as far as we can. Keep believing in us, keep supporting us back home, you never know what can happen.”
Uganda wrapped up preparations with a 2–2 friendly draw against AS FAR in Casablanca before the coach named a 28 man squad. The team has since moved to Rabat, fully focused on the challenge ahead.
The Cranes open their campaign against Tunisia on December 23, face Tanzania on December 27 and close the group stage against Nigeria three days later.
