Joy-Lance Mickels has supported Manchester United since he was a child. On Thursday, the Rwanda international will walk out at Old Trafford not as a spectator, but as an opponent — making him the first player from his nation to appear in the Champions League proper.

The 32-year-old striker is expected to lead the attack for Azerbaijani side Sabah when they travel to Manchester for their opening Champions League league-phase fixture (20:00 BST). Sabah, founded just nine years ago, earned their place in the competition after navigating four two-legged qualifying ties as Azerbaijan Premier League champions.

"It was the best draw we got in my opinion," Mickels told the BBC World Service. "It makes it even better because we're going to play at Old Trafford. Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in the world so it will be a proud moment to step out on to the pitch."

A path built on persistence

Born and raised in Germany, Mickels spent the early years of his career in the lower tiers of German football before stints in the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. He first joined Sabah in 2021, left in 2023, and returned to the Bank Respublika Arena two years ago for his second spell with the Masazir-based club.

"My career has not always followed a straight or easy path," he said. "I have played at different levels and in several countries. But every experience has helped me grow both as a footballer and as a person."

Mickels qualifies for Rwanda through his parents and made his international debut for the Wasps in March. He scored four goals during Sabah's qualifying campaign, including a crucial strike that helped seal a 6-4 aggregate victory over Israeli side Hapoel Be'er Sheva — a tie that had been pushed into extra time by a 94th-minute goal.

Making history for Rwanda

The significance of Thursday's match extends far beyond club football. Mickels is acutely aware of what his appearance at Old Trafford means for football back in East Africa.

"I'm very proud of my Rwandan roots," he said. "Representing Rwanda whilst playing in the Champions League is very, very special. I hope my journey can help inspire young Rwandan players and show them that with belief, hard work, and patience, it is possible to reach the pinnacle of football."

A daunting but thrilling fixture list

Sabah's Champions League schedule includes home fixtures against Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona — though, with their own ground not meeting UEFA regulations, those matches are expected to be staged at the Olympic Stadium in Baku. Their campaign closes with a trip to face reigning Premier League champions Arsenal.

Mickels scored 19 goals as Sabah claimed a first-ever league title last season, yet he is under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead in Europe's premier club competition.

"Every match in the Champions League is special because you are competing against some of the best teams and players in Europe," he said. "We want to be competitive in every match and demonstrate the qualities that brought us this far. We want to go out with some points and we're going to make it difficult for everybody to get points on us."

Sabah's manager Valdas Dambrauskas has his own remarkable backstory, having used prize money from an appearance on the Lithuanian edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? to launch a coaching career. Under his guidance, a club less than a decade old now prepares to take on some of the biggest names in world football.