Rogers Mato’s route to Tynecastle was anything but straightforward. The 22-year-old Uganda forward has revealed he was on the brink of a move to Major League Soccer with Sporting Kansas City before choosing to honour an agreement with Hearts, a decision he says was driven by personal conviction, control over his career, and loyalty to promises already made.
Mato has joined the Scottish Premiership leaders on loan from FK Vardar until the end of the season and is set to complete a permanent switch in the summer on a three-year deal. But before the paperwork with Hearts was finalised, Vardar had accepted an offer from Sporting Kansas City, opening the door for the striker to head to the United States.
Big win for Ugandan football: David Obua tips Rogers Mato for Hearts success
Despite his club’s readiness to cash in, Mato made it clear the MLS option did not sit right with him.
“They wanted to sell me there but no one decides your future,” Mato told Footy-Africa in an exclusive interview. “It’s you to decide your future and if you fail, you fail as you.”
The forward explained that his choice was shaped by prior discussions with Hearts and the impression made on him by the club’s manager. Those early conversations created a sense of obligation he was unwilling to abandon, even when a late alternative emerged.
“I really liked how the manager proposed Hearts to me so that’s why I didn’t want to let them down. I gave them my trust to come here and they did everything for me to be here so I couldn’t let them down. Of course I gave them the trust and I had to show my loyalty to them,” he added.
Mato arrives in Scotland carrying serious momentum. He leaves North Macedonia as one of the most in-form forwards in the league, having struck 15 goals in 17 appearances for runaway leaders Vardar. His stock has also risen on the international stage, following his involvement with Uganda at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Now, he steps into a Hearts side setting the pace at the top of the Scottish Premiership, choosing a path he believes aligns with both his ambitions and his values.
Turning down a late MLS move, Mato opted for continuity, trust, and a project he felt connected to, even before setting foot in Edinburgh.
