Shassiri Nahimana

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Shassiri Nahimana

| image =

| fullname = Shassiri Nahimana

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|08|05|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Bujumbura, Burundi

| height = 1.65 m

| currentclub = Bandari Fc

| position = Midfielder

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2005

| youthclubs1 = Rafina FC

| youthyears2 = 2009–2010

| youthclubs2 = Havana FC

| years1 = 2012–2014

| clubs1 = Inter Star

| years2 = 2014–2016

| clubs2 = Vital'O

| years3 = 2016–2018

| clubs3 = Rayon Sports

| years4 = 2018–2019

| clubs4 = Nizwa

| years5 = 2019

| clubs5 = Al-Mujazzal

| years6 = 2019–2020

| clubs6 = Al-Entesar

| years7 = 2020

| clubs7 = Futuro Kings

| years8 = 2021–

| clubs8 = Vital'O

| nationalyears1 = 2013–

| nationalteam1 = Burundi

| nationalcaps1 = 40

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate = 27 January 2024

}}

Shassiri Nahimana (born 5 August 1993) is a Burundian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for KPL club Bandari and the Burundi national team.{{NFT player|id=53034|accessdate=23 June 2019}}

Early life

Shassiri Nahimana was born in Buyenzi, Bujumbura. Nahimana is the third born among his siblings and grew up playing football. Supported by his parents, in 2005, at the age of 12 he joined Rafina FC. Few years later in 2009–2010 he joined Havana FC, where he participated in a local competition and was soon scouted by Inter Star to attend a trial at the club. Though initially scared, he eventually attended the trials and got signed up by the club.{{cite news |title=Menya Nahimana Shasir umukinnyi w'Ukwezi muri Shamiyona y'u Rwanda |url=http://www.ar.umuseke.rw/menya-nahimana-shasir-umukinnyi-wukwezi-muri-shamiyona-yu-rwanda.hmtl?nocache=1 |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=Umusuke |date=24 November 2016 |language=rw}}

Club career

After first joining Inter Star in 2012, he went to Vital'O in 2014, where he won two consecutive Burundi Premier League in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 season. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Nahimana was named the Best Player of the Season, winning the award over teammates Arakaza MacArthur and Hussein Shabani.{{cite news |title=NAHIMANA Shasiri, best player of the Primus league 2015-2016 |url=https://burundi-agnews.org/sport/burundi-ffb-nahimana-shasiri-meilleur-joueur-de-la-primus-ligue-2015-2016/ |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=Burundi AgNews |date=26 June 2016}} He also played a pivotal role in his teams 2016 Burundian Cup run, where Vital'O lost 4–3 on penalties to Le Messager Ngozi in the final.{{cite news |last1=Osano |first1=Bonface |title=Burundi's most valuable player joins Rayon Sports |url=http://www.soka25east.com/burundis-valuable-player-joins-rayon-sports/ |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=Soka25east}}

After a successful career at Vital'O, he joined Rwandan club Rayon Sports in 2016. On 24 December 2016, he scored his first hat-trick for Rayon Sports, thrashing Musanze 4–1.{{cite news |last1=Asiimwe |first1=Geoffrey |title=Rayon coach lauds hat trick hero Nahimana |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/206572 |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=The New Times |date=26 December 2016}} On 17 May 2019, he won the 2016–17 Rwanda Premier League with the club, after Rayon won 2–1 against Mukura Victory Sports and took an unassailable 13 point lead over rivals and former champions APR FC, with four matches to spare.{{cite news |last1=Asiimwe |first1=Geoffrey |title=Rayon Sports seal 2016/17 league title |url=https://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/212653 |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=The New Times |date=18 May 2017}}

At the end of the 2017–18 season, Nahimana joined Omani club Nizwa, and in January 2019 moved to Saudi club Al-Mujazzal on a 1-year deal.{{cite news |last1=Selemani |first1=Nizeyimana |title=Nahimana Shassir yageze mu cyiciro cya kabiri muri Arabiya Sawudite |url=http://kigalipost.com/Nahimana-Shassir-yageze-mu-cyiciro-cya-kabiri-muri-Arabiya-Sawudite.html |accessdate=24 June 2019 |agency=The Kigali Post |date=29 January 2019 |language=rw}}

International career

Nahimana was invited by Lofty Naseem, the national team coach, to represent Burundi in the 2014 African Nations Championship held in South Africa.{{cite web |url=http://www.yeswefoot.com/2014-chan-burundi-named-23-man-squad-for-the-tournament/ | title=Burundi named 23-man squad for the tournament |website=yeswefoot.com |accessdate=7 February 2014}}

On 21 June 2015, he scored his first ever international goal in a 2–1 win against Djibouti in the 2016 African Nations Championship qualification. Burundi progressed to the next round by winning 4–1 on aggregate, but failed to qualify for the finals after losing 3–2 on aggregate to Ethiopia in the next round.{{cite web |title=Mixed fortunes for holders and former winners |url=http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/qnorthzone/news.aspx/NewsDetails?id=1g4%2Fjj9l1Yx8lQ1HJoj6Qw%3D%3D |publisher=CAF |accessdate=23 June 2019 |date=22 June 2015}}

On 11 June 2019, Nahimana was named in Burundi's 23-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.{{cite news |last1=Odiko |first1=Godwin |title=Burundi coach Olivier Niyungeko names final squad |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/afcon-burundi-coach-olivier-niyungeko-names-final-squad/oz53kws0xf8k1g59hrlofhe7n |accessdate=23 June 2019 |agency=Goal |date=11 June 2019}}