Kenyan midfield legend Victor Wanyama announces retirement

Kenyan midfield legend Victor Wanyama announced his retirement from professional football on his social media channels Friday, calling an end to a decorated career that spanned over seventeen years.

Today i announce my retirement from football, Four different countries six different clubs, A boy from Muthurwa with a big dream, carrying a Nations pride everytime i stepped onto the pitch. To my family, friends, agent, the fans and the coaching staff that helped me throughout pic.twitter.com/ZTUII58KWO

— Victor Wanyama (@VictorWanyama) April 3, 2026

The Nairobi native, now 34-years-old, began his career at youth level with local clubs Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards before departing for Europe to pursue a professional career. Following a successful trial, he joined Belgian Pro League club Beerschot AC.

Victor Wanyama’s career took him to Scotland, England and Canada

After three successful seasons in Belgium, the powerful defensive midfielder took his club career to another level. An excellent two-season spell at Celtic FC in Scotland, the club he admired as a child, paved the way for his first move to the English Premier League with Southampton FC before joining Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 2016-17 season.

a very nice goal from Victor Wanyama against Liverpool pic.twitter.com/sKj2ksuX2W

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 6, 2022

With Spurs, Wanyama helped the club finish runner-up in the 2018-19 edition of the UEFA Champions League. He made over 150 appearances in the Premier League after winning league titles in both of his seasons with Celtic in Scotland, as well as a domestic double after capturing the Scottish Cup in his final season with the Bhoys in 2012-13.

After playing time was reduced with Spurs during the 2018-19 season due to injuries, the Kenyan decided to leave for Major League Soccer where he was signed as a Designated Player by Canadian club CF Montréal (known at the time as Montreal Impact).

He spent four seasons with Montréal, making 133 appearances in all competitions and helping the club win Canada’s domestic cup competition, the Canadian Championship, in 2021.

18′ @VictorWanyama 😮

What a move from Wanyama in midfield. Belle chance pour Quioto mais son tir est bloqué. #CLBvMTL | 0-0 | #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/JJfzZ9Ifhj

— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) September 25, 2021

Wanyama finished up his career with a brief spell back in Scotland, where he made four appearances for second tier club Dunfermline Athletic during the 2024-25 season.

An icon in Kenya, he represented the national team on 64 occasions and scored 6 goals, remarkably debuting for the Harambee Stars at the age of 15 in 2007.

Despite a checkered relationship with the Football Kenya Federation that saw him not called for national team duty as well as a period of voluntary withdrawal, he represented his nation at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and captained the Harambee Stars.