Victor Wanyama: I hustled big to make it

By Ali Alale

His prowess in the field is simply impressive, but equally remarkable is his journey to football stardom. Victor Wanyama opens up to about the hustling he went through to make a name internationally, matters of the heart and his future plans

Many people know you as a talented footballer, but who really is Victor Wanyama?

I am a simple, goal-oriented, friendly and God-fearing man. I also love to give back to society, especially children.

Tell us something about your family.

My mum and dad are businessmen, something they have done since my siblings and I were young. I have eight siblings three sisters and five brothers. I am the third born child.

How was your childhood?

I was an ordinary child who played cha baba na cha mama like all the rest. Because my parents were not well off, I passed through a lot of hardship growing up. I was chased home for school fees and sometimes we had to go without food for days. I started hustling when I was young because of this harsh experience.

Tell us about your educational background.

I went to St Peters Claver Primary School, which is located on Race Course Road, then joined Kamukunji High School where I played in the football team.

When did your passion for football start?

My love for the game began when I was seven years old. I was in Class One. At that tender age, I was selected to represent Nairobi in some major tournament where I gave it my all and we won.

When I joined Kamukunji High School, I honed my skills further and represented my school team in major inter-school tournaments.

What are some of the challenges you faced as a young footballer before you were finally discovered.

People see me now and assume that I just landed and got a lucrative deal with big clubs. Far from it. It has been difficult to say the least. I have hustled in football to be where I am. There were days I had to walk for several kilometres because I had no bus fare to go for a match in which I was scheduled to play. I did not have football shoes and had to play in torn ones. Most of the times I played football the African way or in sheng we say mguu chuma (without shoes). I also played with a juala (make-shift) ball while in the mtaa (estate).

How did you get your major breakthrough?

I must admit that it is God who opened this major door in my life. The man who spotted my talent is Amigo, although he passed on a few years back.

After high school, he helped me join JMJ Academy and City Stars where my talent was discovered. City Stars nurtured my talent locally, while JMJ Academy taught me professional football.

How does it feel to play for big names like Celtic?

It is a big honour. I feel humbled, honoured and I am truly grateful to God.

You are such an awesome midfielder, what is the secret to your prowess in the field?

There is no secret to greatness in the field except hard work, lots of training and concentration in the game.

Last week, the Nairobian our sister paper listed you among the most desirable men in Kenya, how does that make you feel?

When I saw the story at first I just laughed. I said, “Me, really, I am just an ordinary Kenyan.

But I thank God that women appreciate my talent.

Are you dating?

Ha ha ha... I cannot comment on that for now. Yes, rumours have been circulating, especially in social media and entertainment magazines that I am dating a certain lady. Let’s just say I am happy where I am right now in my social life.

What do you look for in an ideal woman?

She must be disciplined, respectful, God-fearing, ambitious and know how to cook. I mean the way to a man’s heart is through the tummy!

When it comes to dating, where do you think the Kenyan women get it wrong?

I have noticed that some of them lie a lot just to make an impression on a man. They give you a false impression and present a fake side of themselves and pretend a lot to score points with a man. But they should just be real and present their true side.

Where do the Kenyan women get it wrong when it comes to fashion?

Many of them love to show a lot of flesh because they assume that that is what men love. But on the contrary, men love decent women. I mean you do not have to expose everything to score it with a man.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I would want to have settled down with a nice mama who will give me some adorable kids. I love family.

Which footballer do you look up to locally and internationally, and why?

Locally, I watch every player. Each player has something I can learn. But internationally I like Essien, Cristiano Ronaldo and Obi Mikel.

What would you tell young footballers who want to be like Wanyama one day?

They should put God first in everything they do. They also need to embrace values like discipline, focus, hard work and on a light note, they should eat lots of bread with Blueband. Ha ha!

What do you think is ailing Kenyan football?

Poor management and politics. What we need is to revamp the whole thing and put in place proper structures. We have great talent in Kenya that is yet to be discovered.

What do you do when not playing professional football?

I am a real estate investor. I also love to play pool with my buddies. But my greatest passion is visiting children’s homes where I share goodies with them and we play together. I do that every month as long as I am in