Popular Kenyan football player Victor Wanyama, 30, announced his retirement from international football recently.
Until his retirement, Wanyama played for Major League Soccer side CF Montreal, and last appeared for a game with the Kenyan National team, Harambee Stars in November 2020.
Announcing the retirement in a statement, Wanyama said:
“With a great deal of pride, I can say that I have been fortunate to live my dream! These past 14 years have gone beyond what I ever thought possible.
But all good things must come to an end eventually, and the time has come to hand over the team to the next generation so that they too can make their mark and help our country reach even greater heights.”
As the pitch maestro bows out, The Sauce highlights the star’s 7 most notable milestones on the pitch:
1. He was the first Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League for Celtics against Barcelona on November 7, 2012.
2. He earned 64 caps for the Kenyan national team since making his international debut at 15 years in 2007.
3. Having played for Celtic, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, Wanyama captained the national side at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, when Kenya finished third in their group behind eventual finalists Algeria and Senegal.
4. He was the first Kenyan to play in the premier league after signing on to Southampton, a feat he proudly spoke on: “Southampton is a good club and it has good players, so I just want to train hard and work hard to be a part of the starting XI. We’ll see where that will take me. It feels great and I am happy to be here. There were other options, but Southampton is a club with ambitions so I chose to come here. I’m very grateful to be here and I’m looking forward to playing in the Premier League.”
5. One of the highest paid footballers in the region, Wanyama also has a boot deal with Adidas, a lucrative venture that makes him stand out from the rest of the pack.
6. He famously owns a luxurious London home valued at Sh 60 million, and that has been visited by a string of Kenyan celebrities. He also has homes in Kenya, among them a bungalow in Kileleshwa that his family lives in.
7. Recognised for his deep involvement in philanthropy, he was feted with a Best of Africa role model award at the Rosewood Hotel in London in 2017, for his involvement in charity work, following in the footsteps of fellow greats like Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure.
Wanyama comes from a family of Sportsmen and women. He is brothers with fellow professional player Donald Mariga, Mercy Wanyama who plays Basketball for a Spanish team and Cynthia Wanyama who has played Netball for the Kenyan national team. Their dad, Noah Wanyama was a well known footballer who played for AFC Leopards and Harambee Stars.
