Victor Wanyama Announces Retirement From International Football at 30

Photo: Victor Wanyama in action for Kenya [BackpagePix]

Kenyan footballer Victor Wanyama on Monday announced his retirement from international football.

The former skipper of the national team drew the curtain on his international football at the age of 30.

He took to his verified Twitter account @VictorWanyama, to announce his retirement.

“Growing up it was always my dream to get the chance to represent my country,” Wanyama said in a statement he shared alongside two photos of him playing for the national team.

“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.

“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 sidelines.”

Wanyama made his debut for the Harambee Stars at just age 15, in a friendly against Nigeria in May 2007. He then scored seven goals in 52 games.

He captained Kenya at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and led the team to a third place finish in the group stage behind eventual finalists Algeria and Senegal.

Wanyama who since March 2020 was playing for Major League Soccer (MLS) team CF Montreal, last played for Kenya in November 2020.

He has so far had an impressive career playing for English Premier League clubs, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Scottish side, Celtic FC.

He was the first Kenyan to play in the English Premier League when he made a £12.5 million move from Celtic to Southampton in 2013.

Earlier in 2012, he also became the first ever Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored the first goal in Celtic’s 2–1 win over Barcelona on 7.

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