TAKEAWAYS

• Bebe Cool personally supported Alpha’s football ambitions from an early stage.
• Father and son would jog together from Ntinda to the gym for training.
• Alpha is now back at Express FC for his second spell in the Uganda Premier League.

Express FC footballer Alpha Thierry Ssali has revealed how his father, legendary Ugandan singer Bebe Cool, played a central role in shaping his football career from the very beginning.

Speaking in an interview, Alpha, the firstborn son of Bebe Cool and Zuena Kirema, recalled how his father took his passion for football seriously and immediately invested in helping him become a better player.

Alpha said that when he told his father he wanted to pursue football professionally, Bebe Cool asked him what he needed to achieve his dream.

“I told him, Dad, I need to be the best. I need to go to the gym,” Alpha recalled, explaining that his father began taking him to train while also helping him access the equipment and support he needed.

He particularly remembers the early days when the two would jog from their home in Ntinda to the gym, with Bebe Cool constantly encouraging him to remain committed.

“Alpha, this is going to pay off whether you like it or not,” Alpha recalled his father telling him during those evening runs.

It should be noted that Bebe Cool’s involvement in his son’s football journey has been a priority from the start. From helping him access training opportunities to supporting club moves and trials abroad, the Gagamel boss has remained one of Alpha’s biggest believers.

Alpha is now playing at the top level of Uganda’s Premier League with Wankulukuku-based Express FC, where he has returned for a second spell after leaving the Red Eagles for KCCA FC about a year and a half ago.

For Alpha, the journey is not simply about talent—it is also a dream his father has personally invested in.