TAKEAWAYS

• Rickman Manrick has returned to football after years in the entertainment industry.
• The singer and radio presenter has joined Express FC.
• His football journey previously took him to Sweden before an injury pushed him toward music.

For Rickman Manrick, the journey has officially come full circle.

The singer and radio presenter has returned to football after joining Express FC, years after putting his football ambitions on hold to pursue a career in music and broadcasting.

Rickman, whose real name is Derrick Ddungu, previously played football in Uganda before moving to Sweden, where he featured for clubs including Gunnilse IS and Sävedalen IF. Express FC’s move to sign him was reported earlier this month as the club continued strengthening its squad.

His football career, however, had been disrupted by an ACL injury in 2016. During his recovery, Rickman turned to music, initially as something to occupy his time, but eventually built a successful career in the entertainment industry.

Despite his success in entertainment, football remained close to his heart. Rickman had previously spoken about his desire to return to competitive football and play in the Uganda Premier League.

Now, that dream is becoming a reality with his move to Express FC.

Rickman’s return makes for an unusual but inspiring full-circle story — from footballer, to musician, to radio presenter, and now back to the football pitch.