Dungannon Swifts midfielder Gael Bigirimana has highlighted the importance of his Christian faith in dealing with setbacks while playing in England – including losing his entire savings in what turned out to be a Ponzi scheme.
Bigirimana made 13 Premier League appearances for Newcastle United, scoring once against Wigan Athletic, and also spent time on the books of Coventry City, Motherwell, Hibernian and Solihull Moors before arriving in the Irish League with Glentoran.
After two years at The Oval and a spell with Tanzanian outfit Young Africans, Bigirimana returned to Northern Ireland with the Swifts in 2023, linking up with former coach Rodney McAree in Co Tyrone.
The 32-year-old has been one of the standout performers during a historic period of success for Dungannon with Bigirimana named Man of the Match for his display in their maiden Irish Cup triumph last season.
Dungannon Swifts star Gael Bigirimana celebrates after winning the Irish Cup. (Photo by INPHO/Brian Little)placeholder image
Dungannon Swifts star Gael Bigirimana celebrates after winning the Irish Cup. (Photo by INPHO/Brian Little)
Appointed captain following Dean Curry’s departure, Bigirimana is a fan favourite at Stangmore Park and has previously spoken of his deep love for the club, seeing his long-term future in Dungannon.
He has also been open about his faith, saying “I just want to give God the glory” moments after winning the Irish Cup, and that belief has helped him at various points throughout his life.
One of those moments was as a young player when an agent directed him towards an investment scheme where a lump sum investment would give a monthly pay-out – accountants verified the legitimacy of the set-up.
However, payments didn’t arrive and it transpired to be a Ponzi scheme with Bigirimana, who was recently married and expecting a baby, losing his savings.
"There was no continuity," he recently told Newcastle United’s website. "After a few months there was no payment.
“Then it was all like, 'we're going to pay you next month, there's a misunderstanding'. All those sorts of things. Then it got to the point where the communication dried up.
"We learned from the mistake. Our faith gave us perspective. There's a scripture in the Book of Job that says, 'God gives, and God takes away.' We just knew that God would bless us again one day."
Another time when Bigirimana called upon his faith was when he was waiting in Birmingham Airport to board a flight to Croatia in 2019 for a two-week trial, only to be told he shouldn’t travel.
One of the club’s strikers had suffered an injury, switching their transfer priorities, and leaving free agent Bigirimana without a team.
"I was waiting to board a flight at Birmingham Airport and rang the coach to ask if somebody would be waiting at the other end," he added. "He told me not to come because they had a game the previous day and a striker got injured.
"They wanted to see if it was long-term or short-term. If it was long-term, they would prioritise a striker.
"It was a weird feeling. I just thank God just for the peace that I had. Okay, it's annoying, it's frustrating. They said to me, 'we're going to get back to you', but they never did.
"Without the truth of the word of God, I know what could have become of me and what many, many other footballers in that situation would do.
"It's easy to become bitter, to blame everyone and try to numb the frustration, misery and pain. You can see why people go down the route of drinking and drugs."
Bigirimana is now passing on advice to young players after creating ‘Bigirimana Elite Coaching’, providing 1-2-1 and group coaching sessions in Dungannon.
"I say to them, 'I've been in your future',” he said. “It's not going to be the same, but what I'm trying to say to them is that the principles don't change.
"The breakthrough, the ups, the downs, the agents, the decisions managers make.
"I always tell them football is played in the mind. Yes, we use our feet and our body, but it's the mind first. They need to be able to mould their mind to become strong characters and be able to deal with setbacks."