Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has praised Amos Wanjala after the young defender made his senior international debut in Kenya’s 1-1 draw against Eritrea in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.
Wanjala came on as a substitute and quickly settled into the game, showing confidence and composure despite making his first appearance for the senior national team.
The 20-year-old centre-back has enjoyed a rapid rise over the past few years, moving from Kenyan school football to Spain before earning a place at Valencia CF.
His performance against Eritrea pleased McCarthy, who has repeatedly spoken about giving young players an opportunity to express themselves.
The South African coach was particularly impressed by how Wanjala handled the pressure of making his senior debut.
“I like to give young players an opportunity, and I want them to be brave and express themselves, and that’s exactly what Amos did,” McCarthy said.
“He took the opportunity and didn’t look fazed by anything. I would encourage more of that.”
Wanjala’s journey to the Harambee Stars senior team has been a steady one.
He first made his name with St Anthony’s Boys High School in Kitale, where he helped the school win the 2023 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association football title.
His performances caught the attention of scouts and earned him an opportunity to continue his development in Spain with Nastic Sports Academy in Tarragona. From there, he took another important step in his career when he joined Athletic Club Torrellano in 2024.
At Torrellano, Wanjala gained valuable experience playing in Spain’s Tercera Federación, competing against senior players and adapting to the demands of football outside Kenya.
His progress did not go unnoticed.
In January 2026, Valencia CF announced the signing of Wanjala for VCF Mestalla, the club’s reserve side. The Spanish club described him as a centre-back who had gained experience at Torrellano and also represented Kenya at international level.
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The move represented another major step for a player who had only recently been playing school football in Kenya.
Wanjala has since continued to develop with Valencia and was given an opportunity to train with the club’s first team during pre-season. He also featured in friendly matches as he looked to push closer towards the senior setup.
His progress in Spain has also gone hand in hand with his involvement in the Kenyan national teams.
Wanjala has represented Kenya at youth level and captained the country’s Under-20 side at the Africa U20 Cup of Nations. His leadership qualities and performances at youth level eventually earned him a place in McCarthy’s senior squad for the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.
Against Eritrea, he finally got the chance to make the step up.
Rather than looking overwhelmed by the occasion, Wanjala played with the confidence that has characterised his development in recent years. For McCarthy, that was exactly what he wanted to see from one of Kenya’s emerging talents.
The coach believes young players need to be trusted and given the freedom to play their natural game, and Wanjala responded positively when his opportunity arrived.
“I like to give young players an opportunity,” McCarthy said, explaining his approach to integrating emerging players into the Harambee Stars setup.
For Wanjala, the debut is another milestone in a journey that has taken him from St Anthony’s in Kitale to Nastic Academy, Athletic Club Torrellano and now Valencia.
The defender has already shown that he is capable of making progress at every level he has reached.
His move to Valencia has placed him in an environment where he can continue learning and competing at a higher level, while his first appearance for Harambee Stars has now opened another chapter in his international career.
McCarthy will now hope that Wanjala can build on his debut and continue developing into an important player for Kenya.
For the youngster, there is still a long way to go, but his first senior international appearance provided an encouraging start.
And if McCarthy’s comments are anything to go by, the Harambee Stars coach believes Wanjala has the right attitude to keep progressing.
“He took the opportunity and didn’t look fazed by anything,” McCarthy said.
That, perhaps more than anything else, summed up Wanjala’s first night in a Harambee Stars shirt.