Advertisement
Kenya U-20 forward Valerie Nekesa joins Spanish top-flight side CD Tenerife
11th July, 2026 03:08 PM
Kenya U-20 women’s national team forward Valerie Leah Nekesa has secured a landmark move to Spanish top-tier side CD Tenerife Femenino from Madira Soccer Assassins.
The Liga Femenino side officially confirmed the arrival of the highly rated 18-year-old attacker on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Nekesa becomes Tenerife’s second signing of the new season following the arrival of Naar Miranda.
“Madira Soccer Assassins Football Club proudly announces the transfer of 18-year-old Harambee Starlets striker Valerie Nekesa to CD Tenerife Femenino in Spain’s top-tier women’s league, Liga F,” the club stated.
“This landmark move reflects Valerie’s patience, resilience, dedication, and immense potential, marking a significant milestone as she takes the next step in her career on one of football’s biggest stages.”
The teenage prodigy is expected to initially link up with the reserve squad to aid her transition into the high-flying Tenerife setup. The senior team is coming off an outstanding 2025–26 Liga F campaign, where they finished fourth in the standings just behind Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Real Sociedad.
Tenerife chair Sergio Batista lauded Nekesa’s signing as part of their commitment to identifying high-potential players from the African continent and building an increasingly competitive, established project open to emerging talent from around the world.
Nekesa’s profile
Nekesa has rapidly established herself as a vital figure across Kenya’s national youth structures—featuring prominently for both the U17 (Junior Starlets) and U20 (Rising Starlets) squads—before transitioning seamlessly into the senior women’s national team, the Harambee Starlets.
She famously etched her name into the history books during the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. In a group-stage match against Mexico, Nekesa scored the opening goal in a historic 2-1 victory, securing Kenya’s first-ever goal and win at any global FIFA World Cup tournament.
Her international pedigree also includes a brilliant hat-trick in October 2023, where she inspired the Rising Starlets to a 4-0 victory over Angola during the return leg of the FIFA U20 World Cup qualifiers. Her stellar performances capped off a sensational breakout period, earning her nominations as one of the world’s best emerging football talents from both FIFA and CAF.
