George Desmond Kamurasi, a goalkeeper for ninth-tier English club SE Dons and a regular on the axed Soccer AM show, has been chosen to succeed his late cousin as king of the Tooro people in Uganda. However, reports suggest the 36-year-old's cousin, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has died, and Kamurasi may not relocate to take the throne.
Royal lineage and the selection
Kamurasi, known by the nickname 'Big G', plays for SE Dons in the ninth tier of English football and also appeared on Soccer AM, frequently filling in as goalkeeper for the Car Park Challenge segment before the show was cancelled. He comes from royal lineage, with his cousin having served as leader of the Tooro people in Uganda.
Following the death of the relative, Kamurasi has been chosen as the successor to King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, according to Ugandan media reports cited by The Telegraph. A committee of 21 people selected the footballer for the role.
Decision to stay in the UK
Kamurasi's cousin was just three years old when he took the throne but died aged 36. Despite the selection, it has been suggested that Kamurasi has no plans to move to the African country. SE Dons, the club for whom he plays and wears the captain's armband, confirmed in July that they have retained his services for the 2026/27 season.
The footballer married his wife Abbey in July and they have a son together. Reports in Uganda indicate he plans to stay in the UK rather than relocating to start a new life as a monarch.
Club and cup progress
SE Dons, who play in Bexleyheath in outer London, won promotion to the ninth-tier Southern Counties East Premier Division last season. They have also come through three preliminary rounds in the FA Cup to set up a meeting with Chichester City in the second qualifying round of the competition.
They beat Erith 2-0 in the most recent cup match, with Josh Bohui, who came through the ranks at Manchester United, scoring the first of two early goals. Kamurasi didn't play, with the funeral of his cousin taking place in Uganda the same weekend. King Rukidi IV was the world's youngest monarch when he ascended to the throne as a child and was described by Ugandan prime minister Robinah Nabbanja as a "symbol of unity."
