Following his transfer from North Macedonian top-flight side Brera Strumica to struggling FK Vardar in the same division, Ugandan international Rogers Mato Kassim has pledged to help his new team avoid relegation to the second tier.
Mato has signed a one-year contract that will keep him at Vardar at least until the January 2026 transfer window. He arrives from Brera, where he spent the first half of the season, making 20 appearances. At Brera, he was one of the most consistent players, accumulating a total of 1,579 minutes on the pitch.
In an exclusive interview with The Nerve Africa, the 21-year-old committed himself to lifting FK Vardar out of the relegation zone:
βI’m here with one clear mission, and thatβs to help the team get out of the drop zone by the end of the season.β
βThat is my sole target at the moment, and itβs not even complicated. We have to fight together with my new teammates and help this great and historic club avoid the burden of relegation. The league table doesnβt look good at the moment, but it is what it is,β he added.
βWe have to be realistic about the situation and fight. I am very optimistic that we will not be relegated when the season ends. That calls for commitment, sacrifice, and a lot of hard workβit’s important,β Mato reiterated.
Last season at Brera Strumica, he scored two goals and provided two assists in 15 appearances. Previously, he also played for Turkish side ΕanlΔ±urfaspor FC and 13-time Uganda Premier League champions KCCA FC.
At Vardar, Mato becomes the clubβs tenth signing of the winter transfer window, joining Michal Pinter, Georgije Jankulov, Mihael Manevski, Mite Cikarski, Dimitar Todorovski, Ediz Spahiu, Davor Taleski, Mihail Talevski, and Mislav MatiΔ.
On the international stage, Mato, whose Transfermarkt valuation is estimated at β¬350,000, has earned 26 caps for the Uganda national team, The Cranes, scoring six goals and providing three assists.
