Nairobi – Kenya’s former football captain Victor Wanyama told AFP on Thursday that he had decided to return to the national side, just over a year after announcing his retirement from international soccer.
The 31-year-old former Tottenham midfielder said he had decided to return to the Harambee Stars after a meeting with Kenya’s Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba on Wednesday.
“I am glad to announce that I have accepted the minister’s invitation to return to Harambee Stars,” Wanyama said.
His decision follows the lifting of a FIFA ban on Kenya’s national football federation which was recently reinstated by the government after being disbanded over corruption allegations.
“I believe we all have a role to play and take Kenyan football forward after the return to international football,” Wanyama said.
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The veteran skipper had announced his retirement in September 2021.
Namwamba hailed Wanyama’s return to the team, writing on Twitter: “In our mission to rebuild our football and elevate our national teams, our elite players must be at the heart of this renaissance.”
Wanyama is the first Kenyan footballer to play in the English Premier League.
He joined Major League Soccer club Montreal in March 2020 in a free transfer from Tottenham and previously had stints with Celtic and Southampton.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Twitter/@CarolRadull
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