NAIROBI, Kenya, June 1, 2025 – Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice president Macdonald Mariga has defended his brother, Victor Wanyama, after his inclusion in the latest Harambee Stars squad.
Mariga believes coach Benni McCarthy is within his rights to call up players who have something to give to the team, regardless of their age.
“It is the coach’s decision to call up the players he feels will help make his team better. Even when a player is 40 years old and is still able to play, then he deserves a chance. Disrespect or backlash from fans is a normal thing in football but at the end of the day, if a player is good, then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in the team,” the former Inter Milan midfielder.
Wanyama was on Tuesday named in McCarthy’s 25-man provisional squad ahead of this week’s double-header international friendly against Chad in Morocco.
However, the decision was frowned upon by a section of fans and media who feel that the former skipper’s time in the national set-up is done.
The former Tottenham and Southampton midfielder last donned the national jersey in November 2020, against Comoros in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
He hang up his boots a year later.
Amid the backlash, Wanyama — now playing for Scottish second-tier Dunfermline — pulled out of the squad citing personal engagements in the United Kingdom.
Mariga feels Kenyans should be kinder to players, especially in their latter stages of their careers, and stop hounding them out of the game.
“In Kenya, we have a tendency of pushing players to retire. Once a player gets to 32 years, fans start calling for him to get out of the game. But, in Europe, we see players playing up to 40 years…Zanetti (former Inter Milan midfielder) retired at 41,” he said.
Mariga added: “Let us learn to give chances to players to shine regardless of their ages. If a player is maybe 16 years and is good, the coach can decide to use him…same thing when he is 40 and still playing well.”
Wanyama is currently undertaking his coaching badges.
