Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has laid out the conditions for his return to the national team, 18 months after announcing his exit.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who currently plays for Major Soccer League club Montreal Impact, retired from international football in 2021, stating that he wanted to focus on his club career.
However, in December last year, Youth Affairs, Sports, and Arts CS Ababu Namwamba announced that Wanyama was back in the national fold.
Despite this, Wanyama was not included in the Harambee Stars squad for the recent international friendly against Iran.
In a recent interview with BBC, Wanyama stated that he has spoken to the minister and the new coach, and they have asked him to return to the national team.
However, he has asked for some time to think about it and has outlined certain conditions that need to be met before he makes a decision.
“I spoke to the minister and I spoke to the (new) coach. They’re all asking me to go back but I said ‘I need a bit of time to think about this’, “Wanyama told BBC on Thursday.
Wanyama expressed his desire to come back and help the team, particularly the young players, to understand the importance of representing their country.
“Maybe I can come back and help the team, help the young players coming through to understand what it means to represent their country.
He also highlighted the need for better treatment and professionalism towards the players. Wanyama has been disturbed by the frequent changes in national team coaches in recent years and hopes that the team can settle with one coach going forward.
In addition to his potential return to the national team, Wanyama revealed that he remains in constant communication with young Kenyan players who aspire to become professionals in the future.
He believes that playing for the national team is one of the biggest platforms for players to be seen and hopes that Kenya can regain its competitive edge in international football.
Wanyama has had an illustrious international career, with 64 appearances for the Kenyan national team and participation in one Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
His last appearance for Harambee Stars was in November 2020. As he considers his return to the national team, Wanyama’s experience and leadership could prove invaluable in guiding the younger generation of Kenyan footballers.
