{"id":10159,"date":"2020-06-25T17:01:12","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T17:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/kenya\/?p=10159"},"modified":"2020-06-25T17:01:12","modified_gmt":"2020-06-25T17:01:12","slug":"happy-birthday-victor-wanyama-harambee-stars-captain-turns-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/sport\/happy-birthday-victor-wanyama-harambee-stars-captain-turns-29","title":{"rendered":"Happy Birthday, Victor Wanyama! \u2013 Harambee Stars captain turns 29"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: Robert Abong’o<\/strong>
\nAfricaPress-Kenya:<\/strong> Harambee Stars captain, formerly at Tottenham Hotspurs in England, now with The Montreal Impact in Canada, Victor Wanyama has turned 29.<\/p>\n

Born on June, 25, 1991, Wanyama has excelled in the football field to become one of the biggest African Stars to grace the European football fields.<\/p>\n

His, most notable achievement, arguably, will be reaching the Champions League final with Tottenham Hotspurs in 2019, where they lost 2-0 to Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain.<\/p>\n

Also, Wanyama became the first ever Kenyan player to score in the\u00a0UEFA Champions League\u00a0when in\u00a0Celtic’s 2-1 win over\u00a0Barcelona\u00a0in November 2012.<\/p>\n

Victor Wanyama Career in a nutshell:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Plays as a defensive midfielder for The Montreal Impact in USA.<\/p>\n

His playing career started in Kenya, where he donned the colours of Kenya Premier League sides AFC Leopards and Nairobi City Stars.<\/p>\n

After trials were successful he joined Belgian side Beerschot AC\u00a0on a four-year deal in 2008. Here, he scored only twice in 51 appearances.<\/p>\n

He moved to Celtic in 2011 on a four-year contract choosing the shirt number 67. He scored 10 goals for Celtic in over 60 appearances.<\/p>\n

Two years later, he joined Premier League side Southampton, becoming first EVER Kenyan to play in the Premier League. He made 84 appearances for the Saints, scoring 4 times.<\/p>\n

Having brought him to Southampton, Mauricio Pochettino signed Wanyama at Tottenham in 2016 on a five-year deal. Here, he scored 6 times in 69 apperances. It is at Spurs that Wanyama made his name.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ajax’s Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek (L) vies with Tottenham’s Kenyan midfielder Victor Wanyama during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Tottenham Hotspur at the the Johan Cruyff Arena, in Amsterdam, on May 8, 2019.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In March this year, Wanyama moved to Major League Soccer outfit Montreal Impact.<\/p>\n

For the national team:<\/strong>\u00a0Wanyama has scored 7 times in 60 appearances. He was a key part of the squad that beat Ghana and Ethiopia to qualify for the 2019 AFCON.<\/p>\n

Fellow footballers fans and football enthusiasts have taken to social media to wish Wanyama a happy birthday:<\/p>\n

\n

Happy Birthday Harambee Stars Captain @VictorWanyama<\/a> ???<\/p>\n

He turns 29 today. @impactmontreal<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1Ri8kyk31q<\/a><\/p>\n

— Game Yetu (@GameYetu) June 25, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n