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Footballer of many firsts! Historic feats of Victor Wanyama’s career
03rd April, 2026 08:31 PM
Kenyan football icon Victor Wanyama on Friday, March 3, 2026, called time on his career, marking an end to an almost two-decade-long impressive career.
Already, his former clubs, Montreal Impact, Southampton, and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as a host of former footballers, media personalities, and celebrities, have joined the football world in wishing him a joyful retirement.
From a local lad in the dusty streets of Muthurwa near Nairobi’s CBD to the hallowed grounds of Celtic Park—where he scored one of the club’s famous goals against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League match—to gracing the UEFA Champions League final in Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, on May 1, 2019, Wanyama’s career had it all.
Indeed, the player was not just a footballer but also a pioneer in his field, not just in Kenya but also in the East Africa region and the world in his own way.
K24 Sports details the several historical feats the Kenyan midfielder made in the checkered and remarkable career that saw him rub shoulders with the crème de la crème of the world’s football.
First Kenyan in the Premier League:
Wanyama made history on August 17, 2013, when he debuted for Southampton against West Bromwich Albion in an English Premier League clash.
Upon stepping onto the pitch, he became the first player from Kenya to feature in the English top flight.
First Kenyan to score in the UEFA Champions League:
On November 7, 2012, he scored a legendary header for Celtic in their 2–1 victory over FC Barcelona, making him the first Kenyan to find the net in the competition.
His sibling, MacDonald Mariga, is the only Kenyan player to have won the UEFA Champions League trophy.
He did so in 2010 with Inter Milan under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, becoming the first East African to ever win a UEFA Champions League medal.
First Kenyan to grace a Champions League Final
As part of the historic club run with Tottenham Hotspur, Wanyama was part of the squad that reached the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final in Madrid, joining Mariga among the Kenyans to reach the pinnacle of European club football.
He broke the record for an appearance in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, becoming the first Kenyan to feature in the finals.
Despite making a significant contribution to Inter Milan’s UEFA-winning team of 2010 under Jose Mourinho, Mariga was an unused substitute during the 2–0 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu.
First Kenyan in the Scottish Premier League
Upon joining Celtic in July 2011, he became the first Kenyan to play in Scotland’s top division.
Other major career highlights
The ‘Barcelona Slayer’ goal
His opening goal against a peak Barcelona side featuring Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta remains one of the most iconic moments in African football history.
Premier League enforcer
During his time at Southampton and Tottenham, he established himself as one of the league’s most dominant defensive midfielders. He recorded 154 appearances and 10 goals in the Premier League.
Domestic Success in Scotland
In Scotland, he won two Scottish Premier League titles (2011/12, 2012/13) and one Scottish Cup with Celtic. He picked up significant individual accolades, such as being named the Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Year for the 2012/13 season.
In September of 2024, he also became the first Kenyan to be named the Premier League African Player of the Month.
With Wanyama hanging up his boots, fans are expected to witness his prowess on the touchline as he pursues a coaching career.
