Baba Alhassan speaks with the joy of a player living his dream, and the calm of one ready for the challenge.
For the 24 year old FC Steaua București midfielder, the Africa Cup of Nations is no longer a distant goal, it is happening now in Morocco.
“It’s a great feeling, a great pleasure,” Alhassan said of his maiden AFCON call up.
“This is my first AFCON and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. We’re hoping to make history with Uganda.”
His excitement reflects the mood in the Uganda Cranes camp in Casablanca, where preparations have gathered pace under head coach Paul Put and assistant Fred Muhumuza.
Born in Ghana but committed to Uganda, Alhassan is embracing the scale of Africa’s biggest football stage.
“To reach this level is a big achievement,” he added. “Many players never get this chance. AFCON today is something special.”
The squad in Morocco continues to grow. Defenders Elio Capradossi and Azizi Kayondo are the latest arrivals, bringing the camp to 27 players as of Tuesday, December 16.
Melvyn Lorenzen joined on Monday, while Toby Sibbick is expected later Tuesday and Jordan Obita on Wednesday.
Defender Timothy Awany will arrive later after the passing of his father, with the team offering full support during the difficult moment.
Uganda have been drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia, Tanzania and Nigeria, a daunting but inspiring line up.
“Playing teams like Nigeria and Tunisia is a privilege,” Alhassan said. “You’re facing top players, the kind you usually watch in Europe.”
Still, he insists respect will not turn into fear. Having reached the knockout stage in their last AFCON appearance, the Cranes believe they can go further.
“Every game is important,” he said.
“We must fight for points in every match. If we take points, we can move to the next stage.”
Within camp, Alhassan is both contributing and learning, sharing his European experience while drawing from teammates with AFCON know how.
“Some players may not have played in Europe, but they have AFCON experience,” he noted.
“We learn from them, and from the senior players.”
With Uganda’s friendly against Gabon on Wednesday, December 17, cancelled, Cranes will instead train at 11am Morocco time (1pm Uganda time).
After that training session, the team will then relocate to Rabat on Thursday 18th December 2025 where they will be based for their Group C matches.
The Cranes open their AFCON campaign against Tunisia on December 23, face Tanzania on December 27, and conclude the group stage against Nigeria three days later.
