Discipline is a prerequisite for every athlete in their journey to stardom across all sports disciplines. Every sport has a set of guiding rules and regulations on and off the pitch or court which emphasise this essential requirement.
Although these regulations demand strict observance because any breach attracts punishment, some athletes choose to elevate them into personal virtues through self-discipline. According to the official guidelines, football players are required to keep their jerseys tucked into their shorts during a match. While many modern professionals often appear with their shirts untucked, the official laws still promote a tidy appearance which includes tucked shirts and pulled-up socks.
Many players ignore this and leave their shirts hanging even when referees insist on proper attire. However, Joseph Langol has distinguished himself by embracing the rules without being reminded. He has adopted personal neatness as a football virtue by consistently tucking in his jersey and training shirts.
Langol, a member of the Uganda Cubs team competing at the Total Energies men’s U17 CECAFA region qualifiers in Ethiopia, has been the tidiest among Kingston’s players during both training sessions and match days. The 16-year-old maintains this neat appearance at all times and even tucks in his training bib, which reveals more about his personal standards.
Many people learn to respect rules only after facing punishment, especially during early growth and development. For Langol, however, neatness has come as a self-taught discipline. “It came to my mind that I should always appear different from others while on the field of play both by what I do and how I dress like. So it came to me like that, not that there is a punishment I remember having gone through to learn tucking in,” Langol says.
In his home village of Patango, he is nicknamed Kakta, meaning Doctor, because of his constant tidiness and general discipline. This reflects how his community views his character.
A Senior One student at Jinja Progressive Academy (JIPRA), Langol looks up to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Manchester City midfielder Rodri, whom he says inspire his premium on neatness.
Who is Joseph Langol?
Born on 01 November 2009 to Lillian Akello and Raymond Okot, Langol attended Paohiner Primary School and Paohiner Soccer Academy in Patango Town Council, both owned by his father, Okot.
He began playing football at the age of four during casual community games before joining the academy in 2018. He progressed through the ranks alongside childhood friends Emmanuel Ocem and John Baptist Opio.
His first major competition came in 2019 when he was selected for the Northern Uganda team at the inaugural FUFA Odilo Championship held at FUFA Technical Centre Njeru. Playing as a holding midfielder, Langol scored six goals and won the tournament’s golden boot.
In 2021 he played for Paohiner Soccer Academy at the CHIPKZI East Africa Kids Tournament in Arusha, Tanzania, where he captained the U13 side as a defensive midfielder. Although he performed well, it was Opio who was selected for the East Africa team that travelled to Real Madrid for a youth tournament.
In 2022 he returned to Arusha for the FEASSA Games with Paohiner Primary School, helping the team reach the semi-finals. The calm central defender and holding midfielder later joined Quality High School before transferring to JIPRA, where he believes he will continue growing towards his career aspirations.
National team appearances and career path
Langol has risen steadily through national structures. He was part of the Uganda U15 team that won silver at the 2023 CECAFA men’s U15 Championship hosted at FUFA Technical Centre Njeru, losing 4-3 on penalties to Zanzibar in the final.
He later joined Brian Ssenyondo’s U17 Uganda Cubs team that qualified for the FIFA U17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, where the team made history by reaching the round of 16. Langol featured in the 2-1 loss to Zambia in Morocco but missed out on further qualification due to an ankle injury.
With support from his father Omara, Langol recovered in time to earn selection by Layrea Kingston for the ongoing Total Energies AFCON men’s U17 CECAFA region qualifiers in Ethiopia. He now seeks to make his mark once again.
His weakness is slow speed but this is offset by excellent game reading and timely tackling, attributes that consistently elevate his performances.
