Kenya U20 rising star Kevin Wangaya has shared how being excluded from his former club, Ligi Ndogo’s U-13 academy squad that traveled to Sweden for a tournament, ultimately paved the way for his call-up to the national team.
The former Kariobangi Sharks midfielder was among the players who made history as part of the first-ever U20 Harambee Stars team to qualify for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations tournament after finishing second in the CECAFA region qualifiers following their loss to Tanzania in the final.
At the tournament, Wangaya was exceptional, scoring four goals and providing one assist as his performances, including his free kicks and elegance in the middle of the park won the hearts of Kenyans.
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Reflecting on his rise to the national team, the midfielder describes his journey as a stroke of luck.
When he was initially called up for the U13 squad, his former club, Ligi Ndogo, was preparing to travel to Sweden for a tournament but he was excluded. This created an opportunity for him to go for trials.
“At the time I was called up to play for the national team (U-13), a lot of things had unfolded beforehand. I was supposed to travel with my former club Ligi Ndogo to Sweden.
However, I was told my visa wasn’t ready and that I should wait. It was a clear sign that they didn’t want me to travel with the squad, so I didn’t go,” Wangaya told TV47.
Wangaya considers this as the pivotal moment in his career. At the same time, Iddi Badi, the coach at Ligi Ndogo reached out to him and encouraged him to attend national trials at Kasarani Stadium.
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“I thank God for what happened because at that moment coach Badi called me and informed me about national trials for the U-13 team at Kasarani Stadium. When I went there, I was among the players selected for the national team,” he added.
“From then on, I played for the national teams at U-13, U-15, U-17, and now I am part of the U-20 team that qualified for AFCON 2025,” he revealed.
Wangaya, who signed a one-year deal with Albanian club FK Apolonia after leaving Kariobangi Sharks, also expressed his ambition to play for top European clubs such as Barcelona, Manchester United, or Ajax.
“Everyone has a starting point, and I believe I can make it. My dream club is Manchester United, but I also aspire to play for Barcelona or Ajax because, growing up I used to watch Ajax and they have excellent facilities for nurturing talent,” Wangaya concluded.
Kevin Wangaya and Aldrine Kibet
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