Former Harambe Stars captain Victor Wanyama has retired from professional football.
Wanyama, 34, made history as the first Kenyan footballer to play in the prestigious English Premier League (EPL), turning out for Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur.
“Today, I announce my retirement from football. Four different countries, six different clubs. A boy from Muthurwa with a big dream, carrying a nation's pride every time I stepped onto the pitch. To my family, friends, agent, the fans and the coaching staff that helped me throughout my career, thank you for walking this journey with me. I now take my next step into coaching, where I will be completing my UEFA A license this year,” Wanyama posted on Friday on his social media handles, including X, and Instagram.
Playing as a defensive midfielder, Wanyama’s football career spans two decades, during which he also played for clubs in Sweden (Helsingborg), Scotland (Celtic FC), Belgium (Beerschot AC), and in Canada (CF Montréal).
He represented Harambee Stars from 2007 and 2020, earning 64 caps.
Wanyama, nicknamed “The Lon of Muthurwa,” captained Harambee Stars from 2013 to 2020.
The announcement comes exactly a week after he made an emotional return to Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium, where he played for the club’s legends side against Manchester United legends.
The match, which Manchester United legends won 5-3 was part of Southampton’s celebrations to mark 50 years since their historic 1976 FA Cup triumph, an achievement which is regarded as the greatest moment in the club’s history.
Southampton, who are nicknamed “The Saints” currently play in the English Football League Championship following their relegation from EPL last year.
On Friday, his former clubs cf Montreal, Celtic FC, and Tottenham Hotspur sent out statements following news of his retirement.
Celtic said in a statement: "Everyone at the club sends our very best wishes to Victor Wanyama following his retirement."
“We had @VictorWanyama and he was nice. We enjoyed it. Wishing you all the very best in your retirement, Victor. Thanks for the memories,” Tottenham said on its social media handles.
“Happy retirement Victor and congrats on an amazing career,” Major League Soccer (MLS) team CF Montreal posted on X.
Wanyama played for Tottenham from June 2016 to 2020, featuring 97 times in all competitions. He scored seven times for the “Spurs”.
One of his stand-out moments came in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on February 4, 2018 at Anfield Stadium.
The holding midfielder pounced on a rebound after Liverpool’s goalkeeper Loris Karius, punched the ball into his direction and unleashed a ferocious strike into the net, sending the crowd at Anfield into wild celebrations.
The strike was voted the Premier League Goal of the Month, and is often refrerred to by the media as “Wild Anfield Affair.”
While playing for Scottish giants Celtic, Wanyama scored via a ferocious header in a 2-2 draw against Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League.
Born in Nairobi in 1991, Wanyama left Kenya for Europe in 2007, joining Helsingborg in Sweden.
Less than a year later, he joined Belgian side Beerschot AC, and he made 56 appearances for the club before a move to Glasgow Celtic in July, 2011.
He won the league title in his first season in Scotland, and enhanced his reputation further in 2012/13 with 49 appearances as Celtic clinched the Scottish Premier League, and Scottish Cup double.
He featured for Canada’s CF Montréal in the Major League Soccer from 2020 to 2025, and left to join Scottish Dunfermline Athletic Football Club in 2025.
In Kenya, Wanyama played for Nairobi City Stars in 2006, and AFC Leopards in 2007.
He announced his retirement from international football on September 27, 2021 after Kenya’s national team coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee dropped him as captain.
In May last year, Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy surprisingly included Wanyama in his squad for two international friendly matches against Chad in Morocco.
However, a few days later FKF announced that he would not be part of the squad due to personal commitments. ENDS
