By Did You Know, Victor Wanyama Retired From International Football?
Ex-Harambee Stars skipper Victor Wanyama on Monday announced his retirement from international football bringing the curtains down on a 14-year stint with the national football team.
In a statement released by the player and shared on his verified Twitter handle, Wanyama whose last prominent duty with the team was at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Finals held in Egypt said that it has been ‘an honour to represent my County’, adding that, ‘I think the time has come for me to pass the mantle to the young ones.’
According to Wanyama, 30, he made his debut against Nigeria, 14 years ago noting that he’s shared great moments with the team.
Did You Know, Victor Wanyama Retired From International Football? Photo Courtesy
“…all good things must come to an end eventually; and after long consideration, I have made the really difficult decision to retire from international football. 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.
I hope to return one day to help the federation off the field but until then, I will still be the Harambee Stars’ biggest supporter and I will be cheering you guys on from the sideline.”
While many have hailed him for his sobriety and work-ethic at the base of the midfield at his prime, he drew lots of flak lately, more so with the national team where his performances failed to catch the eye and it was the immediate former Stars head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee who hit the nail in his career, with the national team, immediately he was picked to handle the team, last year.
Did You Know, Victor Wanyama Retired From International Football? Photo Courtesy
At club level he will go down in the annals of history as the first and only Kenyan to play for an English Premier League side, an honour he attained when he inked a deal with Southampton in the summer of 2013. He would later go on to represent Tottenham Hotspur from 2016 to 2020, making 69 appearances and scoring five goals.
When it was evident his time at Spurs was up, ‘Big Vic’, or simply ‘The Lion of Muthurwa’ as he’s known locally took the plane to North America, penning a deal with Canadian side CF Montreal.
At the national team, he leaves a blend of the experienced and young squad, led by striker Michael Olunga who inherited the armband from him, albeit with no proper transition.
*Courtesy*
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