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Victor Wanyama withdraws from Harambee Stars squad
Harambeee Stars midfielder Victor Wanyama during a past training session at Kasarani.
What you need to know:
- Wanyama joined Montréal in March 2020 from Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent four years, made 117 appearances, and scored five goals.
- Meanwhile, Odhiambo’s return to the national team comes after his earlier exclusion from McCarthy’s squad for Kenya’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon. The omission raised concerns among fans, especially since the squad was largely composed of locally-based players.
Veteran midfielder Victor Wanyama will not feature for Kenya’s Harambee Stars in their upcoming international friendly matches against Chad next month.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy had included the former Tottenham Hotspur star in his 25-man squad to face Les Sao on June 7 and 10 in Morocco. The inclusion surprised many, as Wanyama,33, had officially retired from international football on September 27, 2021.
However, in a statement released Friday morning, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirmed that Wanyama will not be available for the matches due to personal commitments. He has been replaced by Gor Mahia midfielder Austin Odhiambo.
“Victor Wanyama, initially named in the provisional squad for the upcoming friendlies against Chad, has been excused due to personal commitments in the UK,” FKF posted on X.
“In his place, Gor Mahia’s midfielder Austin Odhiambo gets the call-up.”
Wanyama’s brief return to the squad sparked divided opinions among fans and football stakeholders.
“We want players and those saying he is coming to lead; that job is already being done by his brother Mariga,” said Walter Mumelo.
“This is the beginning of Benni McCarthy's downfall. Kenyans will chase these stones at the stadium he wouldn’t believe,” wrote Nyaseme Jokochomo on Facebook.
“We saw a good under 20 team at the Afcon. What is this now?” added Aggrey Mulindi on the same platform.
Defending McCarthy’s decision, Kenya Football Coaches Association secretary Bob Oyugi, a known critic of former Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat, urged patience.
“There is something which he has seen in our midfield which maybe we can’t see. He is not a plumber like Engin Firat but very professional. In case he fails, that is when we can criticize,” said Oyugi.
Wanyama last played for Kenya on November 15, 2020, against Comoros in a 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. He had been club-less since November 2023 after being released by Canadian top-flight side CF Montréal, before joining Scottish Championship club Dunfermline in March.
Wanyama joined Montréal in March 2020 from Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent four years, made 117 appearances, and scored five goals.
Meanwhile, Odhiambo’s return to the national team comes after his earlier exclusion from McCarthy’s squad for Kenya’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon. The omission raised concerns among fans, especially since the squad was largely composed of locally-based players.
Odhiambo, along with other players from Gor Mahia and Tusker, had missed training sessions due to their clubs’ failure to release them in time amid tight league schedules.