Harambee Stars prospect Sammy Henia-Kamau and Kenya-eligible midfielder Elliot Matazo are set to be part of the English Premier League next season after Hull City secured promotion with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
A stoppage-time strike from Oliver McBurnie sealed Hull City’s long-awaited return to the top flight, ending the club’s nine-year absence from the Premier League in front of a crowd of 84,506 spectators at Wembley.
With the tense encounter seemingly headed for extra time, Hull City found the decisive breakthrough deep into added time. Goalkeeper Sol Brynn failed to deal with Yu Hirakawa’s dangerous cross, allowing McBurnie to pounce from close range and bury the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
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The victory capped off a remarkable campaign for the Tigers under head coach Sergej Jakirović, who guided the East Yorkshire outfit back to the Premier League in his first season in English football despite operating under a transfer embargo for much of the campaign.
For Kenyan football fans, the promotion carries added significance due to the presence of highly-rated forward Sammy Henia-Kamau and midfielder Elliot Matazo, both eligible to represent Harambee Stars.
Henia-Kamau, a promising attacker born in 2006 to a Kenyan father and an English mother, continues to rise steadily through the English football ranks.
The young forward began his football journey with Jersey Bulls FC, where he enjoyed a prolific spell at youth level. He scored 20 goals in 15 matches for the club’s Under-16 side before adding six more goals for the Under-18s.
His rapid development saw him become the youngest player in the club’s history to score a hat-trick for the senior team, a feat that quickly attracted interest from professional clubs.
In 2023, Henia-Kamau joined Swansea City on a scholarship deal, featuring prominently for the club’s Under-18 and Under-21 teams while scoring 10 goals during his time there. Following his breakthrough campaign, he signed his first professional contract before earning a move to Hull City in July 2025 after a successful trial.
Since joining the Tigers, the youngster has become a regular figure for the Under-21 side and has scored four goals this season.
Although he is yet to make his senior debut, his impressive performances have already caught the attention of Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy, who recently handed him a call-up for Kenya’s upcoming FIFA international friendlies against Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan during the June international break.
Meanwhile, Matazo’s journey this season has been filled with both triumph and heartbreak.
The talented midfielder, whose mother is Kenyan, remains eligible to feature for Harambee Stars despite representing Belgium at youth level. Although he did not feature in the Wembley final, Matazo will undoubtedly take pride in Hull City’s achievement after enduring an emotionally draining period on the sidelines.
The former AS Monaco midfielder initially suffered a devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee in February 2025, an injury that ruled him out for more than 14 months as he underwent an intense rehabilitation process.
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After months of recovery, Matazo finally made his return to competitive action on April 25, 2026, against Charlton Athletic. However, the comeback turned tragic just 11 minutes into the match when he ruptured the ACL in his left knee, suffering another major setback moments after returning from his first long-term injury.
Despite the disappointment surrounding Matazo’s injury struggles, Hull City’s promotion offers hope and motivation as both Kenya-eligible players now look ahead to a future connected with one of the biggest leagues in world football.
For Henia-Kamau, the dream of making his senior breakthrough at Premier League level is now within touching distance, while Matazo will aim to recover strongly and eventually return to action as Hull City prepare for life among England’s elite once again.
