Victor Wanyama Makes A Return To Harambee Stars, Olunga Dropped

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 27, 2025 – Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has come out of retirement to rejoin the national team.

The former Tottenham midfielder is part of a 25-man provisional squad named on Tuesday evening by head coach Benni McCarthy for next month’s international friendly against Chad.

Over the weekend, Wanyama had revealed to BBC Sport Africa that he was mulling over a return to the national team following prodding by McCarthy.

Wanyama, however, was then non-committal, only promising to make an announcement soon.

The midfield lynchpin last donned the national jersey in November 2020 when Kenya lost to Comoros by a solitary goal in their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

He, shortly after, hang his boots in September 2021 albeit there were discussions around bringing him back to the national team in December 2022.

The discussions were spearheaded by then Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba who argued that Wanyama still had a lot to contribute to Harambee Stars.

Double header friendly

Stars will face the central Africans on June 7 and 10 in Morocco in what will be McCarthy’s third and fourth matches in charge of the national team.

The South African has thus far drawn once and lost once — a 3-3 draw and 2-1 loss to Gabon in their 2026 World Cup qualifier in March.

Kenya are preparing to co-host the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in August, alongside Tanzania and Uganda.

A glaring absence from Tuesday’s squad is skipper Michael Olunga who plies his trade for Al Duhail in Qatar.