Kenya’s Aldrine Kibet joins Spain’s Celta Vigo reserve team
Kenya's Aldrine Kibet during their training session on May 6, 2025.
Kenyan teenage football sensation Aldrine Kibet on Tuesday completed an eagerly-awaited move to Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo’s reserve team.
According to Kibet’s father, Christopher Komen, the 18-year-old attacking midfielder has signed a four-year contract with the Real Club Celta Vigo Fortuna, the Celta Vigo “B” team.
Komen, who is in Vigo, Spain to witness his son officially putting pen to paper, said they are now waiting for the unveiling of their son to the public. “Yes, waiting for the official launch,” responded Komen to Nation Sport via WhatsApp.
“Four-year contract, 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028 and 2028-2029,” he added without revealing the financial details.
Kibet’s mother Irene Kwalia was also in Vigo to see her son join professional elite football in Europe.
Real Club Celta Vigo Fortuna play in the Spanish Federacion – the third tier of the Spanish football league system.
If Kibet proves himself, he could get promoted to the Celta Vigo senior team and possibly see action in the La Liga
Only two Kenyans have played in the Spanish Primera Division.
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga featured for Girona on loan from China’s Guizhou Zhicheng between 2017 and 2018 while ex-Kenya midfielder McDonald Mariga turned out for Real Sociedad on loan from Italy’s Inter Milan between 2011 and 2012.
Kibet joins the club from Nastic Sports Academy in Tarragona, Spain where he has been based since September 2023.
Kibet has fulfilled his dream of playing professionally in Europe – a goal he shared in a December 2023 interview with Nation Sport.
The Kenya Under-20 attacking midfielder honed his skills at Nakuru Youth Sports Association.
Nicknamed “Messi” after the Argentine superstar, for his outstanding skills, Kibet was one of the standout performers at the 2023 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term Two Games in Kakamega, powering St Anthony’s Boys High School, Kitale to the football title.
The versatile teenager was voted the Most Valuable Player at the championship. He also impressed at the regional school games.
“My hero is Lionel Messi. I got the nickname from my friends when I was 10 or 11 years old because I used to dribble a lot. I play the same way as Messi, so that’s where the nickname came from,” said Kibet in December 2023.
He attended Poror Primary School in Baringo and Mama Ngina Primary School in Nakuru before joining St Anthony’s on a full scholarship. He was spotted by scouts from Nastic Sports Academy after attending trials at Musingu Boys High School in Kakamega and Juja Preparatory in Kiambu while in Form Four.
He won the LG/SJAK Sports Personality of the Month for August. In October 2024, Kibet showed his prowess with five goals for Rising Stars of Kenya as they qualified for the 2025 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations after finishing second in the Cecafa qualifiers behind hosts Tanzania.
