As recently as in the year 2008, Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama was still strolling the dusty streets of Muthurwa, hair shaggy, jobless and wondering where his breakthrough would come from ala any Kenya youth. In that same year, his elder brother McDonald Mariga was playing Italy with Parma while Wanyama could barely get a start for a Kenya Premier League club.
His talent was undoubted and even Mariga acknowledged that Wanyama was the better footballer between the two. After successful spells at Nairobi City stars and AFC Leopards, Wanyama signed for Beerschot AC on a four-year contract in summer 2008. A natural defensive midfielder, his tenacity in the tackle was on display in September 2009 when he was fined €100 and given a three-match suspension for a strong tackle on Matías Suárez of Anderlecht.
His stock as powerful midfield workhorse with the skills to match his tenacity continued to rise and he was approached by Scottish giants Celtic whom he signed for in July 2011.
He signed a four-year contract and in doing so became the first ever Kenyan to play in the SPL. Wanyama chose 67 as his squad number to honor the Lisbon Lions, Celtic’s 1967 European Cup-winning team.
He became an instant hit with the Celtic fans and was the first Kenyan to score in a Champions League math when his powerful header opened the scoring in Celtic’s 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s Barcelona in 2012.
He won two league titles at the club and the Scottish cup before the big guns from the English Premier League came calling.
After much speculation and a previous breakdown in talks, on 11 July 2013, Wanyama signed for Premier League side Southampton for a fee claimed to be £12.5 million, making him the first Kenyan to ever play in the Premier League. He was as brilliant as ever and made 24 appearances in an injury-ravaged first season.
Argentine Manager Mauricio Pochettino joined Southampton but later left for Tottenham Hotspur but not without taking the midfielder with him to North London. He signed for Spurs in 2016 scoring on his home debut with another powerful header that settled the game against Crystal Palace, a London derby.
He has been a Spurs under Pochetino who has lots of faith in him and that faith was shown to the world when he started him in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Ajax. Spurs lost that match but pulled a comeback for the ages in the second leg to win 3-2 on the night and make the final on the away goals rule.
It means that on 1st June, Victor Wanyama will have the chance to become the second Kenyan to win the Champions League after his Brother won the 2010 title with Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Spurs will face Liverpool in what will be an all English final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
It has been a remarkable journey for the Lion Of Muthrwa who continues to inspire local talented youths and prove that with the right discipline, hardwork and humility, even your wildest dreams are possible to achieve!