- Harambee Stars boss Benni McCarthy backs Job Ochieng to shine in Spain.
- McCarthy believes the 23-year-old has all the qualities needed to establish himself at the Spanish club.
- The Kenyan forward initially featured for Real Sociedad’s reserve side before gradually moving to the senior side.
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has backed Kenya international Job Ochieng to become an important figure at Spanish La Liga side Real Sociedad, praising the forward’s impressive development, work ethic and natural ability.
McCarthy believes the 23-year-old has all the qualities needed to establish himself at the Spanish club, insisting that there is still plenty of room for him to improve despite the progress he has made since breaking into the first team.
Speaking about Ochieng’s development, the South African tactician expressed his pride in the forward, highlighting his willingness to learn, improve and work hard to reach the highest level.
“I am very proud of Job. He is a player who works hard, wants to learn, wants to get better and wants to improve every day. He has some unbelievable ability about him.
People don’t really realise how quick he is until they see him get off the mark, and that is a big attribute to his game. He is also very unpredictable,” McCarthy said.
The Harambee Stars coach also credited Real Sociedad’s manager Pellegrino Matarazzo for giving the Kenyan forward more confidence and opportunities which he believes have played an important role in his recent rise within the team.
“The rise of him in this Real Sociedad team has been fantastic. The manager has also given him a little bit more belief, which is fantastic and helps his confidence.
That is why you can see him go out on the pitch and perform because he is being given that opportunity,” he added.
Click here to register as a SportPesa customer
From Nairobi’s Ligi Ndogo to the prestigious Santiago Bernabéu🇰🇪🔥
This is the story of 23-year-old Kenyan international Job Ochieng’ who was abandoned by a foreign agency in Spain after failing to pay 1200 Euros (around 180,000 shillings) and how even neighbours had to crowdfund to power his dream of becoming a professional footballer❤️
A tale of belief, sacrice and resilience💪🏿
#JobOchieng #RealSociedad #LaLiga #HarambeeStars— Ochieng’ Stephen (@kenyansportsguy) August 27, 2026
Ochieng’s rise to the senior team at Real Sociedad is a story of patience, hard work and taking opportunities when they come.
The Kenyan forward initially featured for Real Sociedad’s reserve side, commonly known as Real Sociedad B, before gradually attracting attention through his performances and earning opportunities within the senior setup.
His development also caught the attention of McCarthy, who handed him his first Harambee Stars call-up when he was still playing for the reserve team.
At the time, Ochieng was relatively unknown to many Kenyan football fans, with his involvement in the Spanish third-tier setup making his national team selection an unexpected decision for some.
However, McCarthy explained that he had identified qualities in the youngster that convinced him he could make a difference at international level.
“When I called him up for the first time to the Kenyan national team, nobody knew who he was. He was playing for Real Sociedad B, which was a level far below what you would expect national team players to play at, but I called him up because I saw qualities there that you can work with,” McCarthy explained.
Benni McCarthy backs Job Ochieng
The coach further revealed that working with the forward at national team level has helped him develop greater confidence and belief in his abilities, something that has been reflected in his subsequent progress in Spain.
“When we got him to the national team, we helped him become a bit more confident, more aware of himself and improve his self-esteem while using his abilities and quality. He has just gone up and up and up in terms of his level, so it is fantastic to see,” he added.
Despite the progress Ochieng has made, McCarthy believes the best is yet to come for the Kenyan international.
The Harambee Stars coach feels the forward is approaching the level he is capable of reaching but insists that he still has significant room for improvement.
McCarthy is particularly encouraged by the opportunities Ochieng is receiving at Real Sociedad and believes consistent playing time will be crucial in helping him establish himself as a regular member of the senior team.
“He is almost playing at the level that he could be, but he can improve so much more. There is a lot more to come from Job, and I am sure he is going to become an important figure in that Real Sociedad team. He is definitely an important figure for the national team of Kenya,” McCarthy concluded.
Ochieng’s growing involvement at one of Spain’s established top-flight clubs is an encouraging development for Kenyan football, with the forward increasingly emerging as one of the country’s exciting talents playing abroad.
ALSO READ: Mosimane warns South Africa against underestimating Harambee Stars ahead of 2027 AFCON Qualifiers