USSSA Football Boys Final
- Buddo SS (6) 0-0 (5) St Mary’s School – Kitende
In a gripping finale that could only be decided by the cruel drama of penalties, Buddo Secondary School etched their name deeper into Ugandan school football history, clinching their third USSSA Boys’ National Football Championship title after edging out archrivals St Mary’s Secondary School Kitende 6-5 in a tense shootout on Wednesday.
It was a final worthy of the hype, two titans of school football locking horns once again, with everything on the line.
After a goalless 90 minutes filled with grit, missed chances and tactical discipline from both sides, it all came down to who had the steadiest nerves from 12 yards out. Buddo SS, guided by the quiet but determined head coach Richard Malinga, stood tall.
“I’m not a man of many words,” Malinga said after the match, visibly emotional.
“But we are happy for winning this and God has brought us this far. We can’t say it has been easy, but good enough, we take our third trophy back home.”
This victory wasn’t just about silverware. It was redemption.
Earlier this season, Buddo had been outclassed 2-0 by Kitende in the district stage, a loss that stung.
But like true champions, they took their lessons to heart, sharpened their resolve and waited patiently for a chance to respond. That chance came under the sun and cheers of Ngora, and they didn’t waste it.
Kitende, aiming for a record-extending 12th national crown, were the favourites on paper. Their pedigree and consistency are unmatched in the competition’s history.
But in this final, it was Buddo who had the hunger, the belief, and ultimately, the composure when it mattered most.
The triumph adds to Buddo’s previous national titles in 2009 and 2018 and places them firmly in the upper echelons of Uganda’s school football elite.
In a tournament that showcased the depth of talent across the country, Buddo SS’s journey was a testament to resilience and team spirit.
Individual awards:
- Most Valuable Player (MVP): Owen Mukisa (Buddo Secondary School)
- Top Scorer: Mubaraka Tumwine -10 goals (Masaka Secondary School)
- Best Goalkeeper: Rodgers Obale (St Mary’s Kitende)
Elsewhere, Bukedea Comprehensive School capped off their impressive run with a third-place finish, underlining the growing competitiveness of the championship.
Along with Buddo SS, St Mary’s SS Kitende and Amus College, they will now carry Uganda’s hopes at the upcoming Federation of East African Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games in Kenya.
Past Winners
- 2025: Buddo SS
- 2024: St Julian High Mukono
- 2023:St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2022: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2019: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2018: Buddo SS
- 2017: Jinja SS
- 2016: Kibuli SS
- 2015: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2014: Kibuli SS
- 2013: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2012: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2011: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2010: Bishop Nankyama
- 2009: Buddo SS
- 2008: St Mary’s Kitende
- 2007: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2006: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2005: Kibuli SS
- 2004: St Mary’s SS Kitende
- 2003: Old Kampala
- 2002: Nagalama Islamic
- 2001: Ngabo Academy
- 2000: Kibuli SS
- 1999: Old Kampala
- 1998: Kibuli SS
- 1997: St Leo’s Kyegobe
- 1996: Kibuli SS
- 1995: Kibuli SS
- 1994: Lubiri SS
- 1993: Kibuli SS
- 1992: Kibuli SS
- 1991: Kibuli SS
- 1990: Kololo SS
- 1989: Kibuli SS
- 1988: Kololo SS
- 1987: Kololo SS
- 1986: Kololo SS
