Victor Wanyama: bio, life, best and worst football moments
Victor Wanyama is the Kenyan superstar who is currently shining in South African football clubs. After playing for Kenya’s national team and various European football teams, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic, Wanyama joined the South African team Mamelodi Sundowns in June 2021
Since his arrival, Wanyama has made an immediate impact on the team’s performance, earning praise from both fans and coaches alike. With his strong defensive skills and ability to control the midfield, Wanyama is proving to be a key player for Mamelodi Sundowns. It’s exciting to see a player of Wanyama’s caliber making waves in the South African football scene.
Kenyan starlett Victor Wanyama forms part of a very talented sports family. His sister is a professional basketball player back home and his older brother, Mariga McDonald, plays midfield for Italian and European powerhouse Inter Milan (now on loan to Real Sociedad). Victor signed a three-year deal with Scottish Premier League side Glasgow Celtic FC in 2011 before moving to English Premier League side Southampton FC in July 2013 in the biggest transfer in Scottish football history.
As a youngster, Wanyama, followed Mariga to Sweden and signed junior forms with I.F. Helsingsborg. When Mariga signed for Italian club, Parma, Victor returned home to Kenya where he had a short spell at the JMJ Football Acadamy, based in Nairobi. Shortly thereafter, Victor headed to Belgium where he signed for Germinal Beerschot. In his first full season in Belgium, the 18-year-old Wanyama featured in 22 games and quickly signalled that he will become a player at the top level in Europe.
At Beerschot, the forceful Wanyama was mostly deployed as a defensive midfielder, but can be as easily used in an offensive midfield role as he is also a great reader of the game. Showcasing the same attributes as his older brother Mariga McDonald, at the tender age of 19 Victor Wanyama is a real talent to watch out for.
Wanyama had much game time at Celtic which helped him to develop his football and adapt to the new league and clearly helped in his big money move to the English Premier League and Southampton FC.
Wanyama was only 15 when he made his debut playing for Kenya’s senior national team in a friendly match against Nigeria in 2007.
Personal sponsor: Nike
| Name: | Victor Mugabe Wanyama |
| Nationality: | Kenya |
| Language(s): | English, French |
| Age: | 21 |
| Date of birth: | 25.06.1991 |
| Place of birth: | Nairobi (Kenya) |
| Marital status: | Single |
| Height: | 188cm |
| Weight: | 83kg |
| Position: | Left/Right/Central Defensive midfielder, Central defender |
| Shirt number: | 67 |
| National team: | 13 A-caps/1 goal, capped at U20, U23 levels |
| Current club: | Southampton FC |
| Former club(s): | World Hope FC, KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerp, Celtic FC |
| Contract: | 30.06.2014 |
Statistics current season:
| Games played in: | 3 |
| Goals: | |
| Assists: | |
| National Team: |
Career
| SEASON | CLUB | COUNTRY | GAMES | GOALS | ASSISTS |
| 1998-2009 | World Hope FC | Kenya | – | – | – |
| 2009-2011 | KFC Germinal Beerschot | Belgium | 54 | 2 | 11 |
| 2011-2013 | Celtic FC | Scotland | 87 | 13 | 8 |
| 2013-Present | Southampton FC | England | 7 | ||
| TOTAL | 148 | 15 | 19 |
What have been some of the greatest achievements of Victor Wanyama’s career as a South African football player, both individually and with his teams?
Victor Wanyama is actually a Kenyan football player who played in South Africa for two seasons with Cape Town City FC and Supersport United FC. Nonetheless, Wanyama has achieved significant success throughout his career.
Individually, Wanyama won the Scottish Cup with Celtic in the 2012-2013 season and was named the club’s Young Player of the Year in the same season. He also received the Scottish Premier League Player of the Month award twice during his time with Celtic.
In terms of team achievements, Wanyama helped Celtic win two Scottish Premier League titles and reach the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2012-2013 season. He also won the Kenyan Premier League title with Tusker FC in 2011.
Wanyama’s most notable achievement, however, came with Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018-2019 season when he helped the team reach the final of the UEFA Champions League. Although Tottenham eventually lost to Liverpool in the final, it was still a remarkable run for the London-based club, and Wanyama played an important role in their success.
How has Victor Wanyama adapted to playing in the South African football league, and what unique skills and strengths has he brought to the game?
Victor Wanyama has made a successful transition to South African football since joining Cape Town City FC in November 2020. The Kenyan midfielder has brought a wealth of experience from playing in top European leagues such as the English Premier League and Scottish Premiership.
One of Wanyama’s key strengths is his physicality and defensive abilities in midfield. He is strong in the tackle and excellent at intercepting opposition attacks. His technical skills are also impressive, with good passing accuracy and the ability to create chances for his teammates.
Wanyama’s leadership qualities have also been valuable to Cape Town City FC, as he has taken on the role of captain since joining the team. He is respected by his teammates and has helped to guide them through difficult matches.
