NAIROBI, Kenya, June 19 – National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has challenged Harambee stars to ensure they qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup that will be hosted in Qatar.

Odinga, who was speaking on Tuesday morning when hosting Harambee Stars captain and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama at his office, said Kenya has immense talent in soccer compared to other African countries.

“I m very happy and proud of him (Victor Wanyama), he came to pay me a courtesy call so we have been talking about soccer generally. We like what he is doing which is to encouraging our other young aspiring soccer players to rise to the heights that he has risen,” the former Prime Minister said.

@VictorWanyama of @SpursOfficial called on me at Capitol Hill sq. I urged him to mentor other young Kenyans to follow his footsteps and lift the standards of football in the country. pic.twitter.com/MY8taG5ld4

— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) June 19, 2018

“Sky is the limit for our youth but as a country we need to do more promotions. I don’t believe there is better talent in other African coteries that in Kenya. We have seen what other countries have been able to achieve now Kenyans are just spectators when some of the best players are on show in Russia for the World Cup,” Raila stated.

Raila added that, “a player like Victor (Wanyama) should not be here, he should have been in Moscow, Russia playing but unfortunately Kenya is not there. I want to see this as a challenge and ensure that the next World Cup in Qatar Kenyan team will be there playing,” he challenged.

Wanyama, who is in the country after the conclusion of the season that saw his English Premier League side Tottenham finish third and qualify for next summer’s UEFA Champions League, advised upcoming footballers to maintain discipline.

“I’m happy to visit the Hon Raila, he is a football fan, we hear him talk about football and he gives us advice and we follow. He is someone who knows football well. My advice to young players is not to give up, be discipline keep working hard because with discipline you will go far, talent is nothing without discipline,” Wanyama advised.

Wanyama presented an autographed Tottenham Hotspur jersey to Raila and in turn the former Prime Minister handed the midfield maestro legendary Joe Kadenge’s book.

“I have also in turn given him (Wanyama) this book by one of the most celebrated soccer players, in this book Joe Kadenge has chronicled his life story and about history of Kenyan soccer from the 50s, 60s, 80s 90s up to today, I have written four words for this book. So I am giving this as a souvenir to Victor so that he can have opportunity when he has little time from training to read what has happen and the role of his father Noah Wanyama played in the Kenya soccer.