Kenya’s former captain Victor Wanyama has come out of international retirement as the national team gears up for the African Nations Championships in August.
Wanyama, who made history as the first Kenyan to play in the English Premier League with stints at Southampton and Tottenham, is set to rejoin the national squad for two friendly matches against Chad in Morocco on June 7 and 10.
The 33-year-old, who also featured for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, had announced his retirement from international duty in September 2021 after being left out of Kenya’s failed 2022 World Cup qualification campaign.
However, recent developments in Kenyan football—most notably the appointment of South African football icon Benni McCarthy as head coach in February—appear to have influenced his decision to return.
“I’ve spoken to him (McCarthy) a few times and he was trying to convince me to go back,” Wanyama revealed in a recent interview with BBC Africa Sport.
Wanyama, who last played for Dunfermline Athletic in the Scottish Championship, is currently a free agent.
The upcoming friendlies are intended as preparation for the African Nations Championships, which will kick off on August 2 and be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Kenya will be participating in the tournament for the first time, which features players exclusively from domestic leagues. They have been drawn into Group A alongside past champions DR Congo, Angola, Morocco, and Zambia.