Luck or Inspiration: Harambee Stars players reveal secrets behind their favourite jersey numbers
A host of Harambee Stars players have opened up on the secrets behind their favourite jersey number they wore with their club or prefer while on duty for the national team.
For Gor Mahia defender Frank Odhiambo, his choice of squad number is rooted in a deep family connection. The former Sweden-based centre-back revealed that he honours his late mother whenever he steps onto the pitch wearing his favourite number, 24.
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“I add 2+4, which equals six, which is the birthday of my late mom,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the iconic number 10 remains a popular choice for several players. Zech Obiero and William Lenkupae are among those who associated the digit with legends like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
“It has to be 10. It’s a legendary number that Messi, Maradona, and Neymar wore for Brazil; it is a legendary number,” Obiero said.
Clarke Oduor of Grimsby Town and Tunisia-based Alphonce Omija shared similar sentiments, explaining that 10 has always been their preferred choice due to the prestige of the role.
Messi and No. 10 allure
“The number 10 comes with creativity. I grew up watching Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, and from that, I began to enjoy the responsibilities of the role,” Odudor stated.
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Obiero, who marked his senior Harambee Stars debut with an assist for Ryan Ogam’s opening goal in Friday’s loss to Estonia, added that the jersey, synonymous with a team’s creative heartbeat, remains his most iconic.
On the defensive side, Mike Kibwage explained that his favourite is number 4, which he has worn for both Gor Mahia and the national team during the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN). Kibwage revealed he draws inspiration from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
For striker Ryan Ogam, who rose to cult hero status during the same biennial tournament in Kenya, his love for thenumber 15 is also a family affair.
Ogam, who comes from a rich footballing lineage, disclosed that he took over the number from his father, David Obonyo Rabok, a famed Gor Mahia player during the 1980s.
“Mine is 15 because of my dad; he used to play wearing the same number,” Ogam explained.
Midfield dynamo Mansur Okwaro also opined that his love for his jersey number 20 emanates from his good outing with the Kenya national team during the concluded 2024 CHAN games, while Ben Stanley Omodi disclosed the mercurial Belgian ace Kevin De Bruyne as the inspiration behind his jersey 17 for the Harambee Stars.
