Victor Wanyama facts for kids
Wanyama with Tottenham Hotspur in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Victor Mugubi Wanyama | ||
| Date of birth | 25 June 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Nairobi, Kenya | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
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Current team
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Dunfermline Athletic | ||
| Number | 44 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2006–2008 | JMJ Youth Academy | ||
| 2006 | Nairobi City Stars | ||
| 2006–2007 | AFC Leopards | ||
| 2007–2008 | Helsingborg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Beerschot | 51 | (2) |
| 2011–2013 | Celtic | 61 | (10) |
| 2013–2016 | Southampton | 85 | |
| 2016–2020 | Tottenham Hotspur | 69 | (6) |
| 2020–2024 | CF Montréal | 117 | (5) |
| 2025– | Dunfermline Athletic | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007– | Kenya | 64 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:18, 2 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2020 |
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Victor Mugubi Wanyama (born 25 June 1991) is a professional footballer from Kenya. He plays as a defensive midfielder for Dunfermline Athletic in Scotland. He also plays for the Kenyan national team.
Victor Wanyama made history as the first Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League. This happened on 7 November 2012, when he scored the first goal in Celtic's 2–1 victory over Barcelona. In July 2013, Wanyama joined Southampton for £12.5 million. This made him the most expensive player ever sold by a Scottish club at that time.
In 2016, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur. He played there until March 2020, when he signed with Major League Soccer club Montreal Impact. In March 2025, Wanyama returned to Scotland. He joined Dunfermline Athletic, where he plays under his former Celtic manager, Neil Lennon. Victor has played over 60 games for the Kenyan national team. He made his international debut in May 2007 when he was just 15 years old.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Victor Wanyama went to Kamukunji High School, which was famous for its strong football team. After high school, he played for JMJ Academy for three years. He also joined Kenyan clubs like Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards.
In 2007, he moved to Sweden to play for Helsingborg. However, he returned to Kenya in 2008. This was because his brother, McDonald Mariga, moved to play in Italy for Parma. Growing up, Victor was a big fan of Celtic F.C. He would watch their games at a local club in Kenya that was set up like Celtic, called Kibera Celtic.
Club Career Highlights
Playing for Beerschot AC
In the summer of 2008, Victor Wanyama joined Beerschot AC in Belgium. He signed a four-year contract after a successful trial. He played his first league game at the end of the 2008–09 season.
In 2010, Celtic from Scotland tried to sign Wanyama, but Beerschot did not let him leave. A Russian club, CSKA Moscow, also tried to sign him but was unsuccessful. Victor scored his first goal for Beerschot on 11 December 2010. It was a goal that helped his team draw against Westerlo.
Time at Celtic
On 9 July 2011, Wanyama finally joined Celtic for £900,000. He signed a four-year contract. This made him the first Kenyan player to play in the Scottish Premier League. Victor chose the number 67 for his jersey. This was to honor the "Lisbon Lions," Celtic's team that won the European Cup in 1967.
Victor made his league debut for Celtic on 21 August 2011. He played as a central defender, even though he preferred playing in midfield. He scored his first goal for Celtic on 10 December 2011. It was a fantastic shot from 25 yards out against Hearts. His great performances in December earned him the Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month award.
On 20 October 2012, Wanyama scored two goals against St Mirren. One of these was a powerful shot from 25 yards. On 7 November, Wanyama scored the first goal with a strong header. This helped Celtic achieve a surprising 2–1 victory over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
Moving to Southampton
After a lot of talk, Victor Wanyama signed with Premier League club Southampton on 11 July 2013. The transfer fee was reported to be £12.5 million. This made him the first Kenyan to ever play in the Premier League.
Victor said he chose Southampton because it was a good club with big goals. He wanted to work hard to be a part of the starting team. He made his debut on 17 August 2013, in a 1–0 win against West Bromwich Albion. He played in 24 games in his first season.
Under new manager Ronald Koeman, Wanyama played even better in the 2014–15 season. He scored his first goal for Southampton on 20 September 2014. It was a winning goal against Swansea City. His next goal came in a huge 8–0 win over Sunderland. Victor scored his third goal for the team with an amazing 40-yard shot against Hull City. His excellent play led to him being named the league's African Player of the Month for September.
Playing for Tottenham Hotspur
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On 23 June 2016, Tottenham Hotspur announced they had signed Wanyama. He signed a five-year contract for £11 million. Victor had worked with Tottenham's manager, Mauricio Pochettino, before at Southampton. Wanyama scored his first goal for Tottenham in his first home game. It was an 82nd-minute goal in a 1–0 win against Crystal Palace.
In the 2017–18 season, Wanyama had a knee injury. He was out of action for over four months. He returned to play on 2 January 2018, as a substitute against Swansea City. His goal in Tottenham's 2–2 draw with Liverpool on 4 February 2018 was voted the Premier League Goal of the Month.
Time at CF Montréal
On 3 March 2020, Tottenham announced that Victor Wanyama was moving to Major League Soccer club Montreal Impact. The club is now known as CF Montréal. He became a Designated Player for the team.
On 11 March 2020, Wanyama played his first game for Montreal. He even provided an assist in a game against Honduran champions C.D. Olimpia. On 21 November 2021, he was the captain as his team won 1–0 against Toronto FC in the 2021 Canadian Championship Final.
In January 2023, Victor signed a new two-year contract with CF Montréal. He left the club on 1 January 2025 when his contract ended.
Return to Dunfermline Athletic
On 26 March 2025, Wanyama joined Scottish Championship club Dunfermline Athletic. He signed a short-term deal until the end of the season. This reunited him with his former Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, who is now the manager at Dunfermline. Three days later, he played his first game for the club.
International Career
Victor Wanyama first played for the Kenyan senior national team in May 2007. He was only 15 years old at the time. This was in a friendly game against Nigeria. He then played in all six of Kenya's qualifying games for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He became the captain of the Harambee Stars (Kenya's national team nickname) in 2013. He led Kenya in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. In September 2021, Wanyama announced he was retiring from international football. However, in December 2022, he agreed to play for the national team again. This happened after a meeting with Kenya's Sports Minister.
Personal Life
Victor Wanyama comes from a family of athletes. His brother, McDonald Mariga, was also a professional footballer. His other brothers, Thomas and Sylvester, also play football in the Kenyan Premier League. His father, Noah Wanyama, played football for A.F.C. Leopards in the 1980s. His sister, Mercy, is a professional basketball player in Spain.
Victor Wanyama has a sponsorship deal with Adidas for his football boots. In 2015, he helped make a short film about football in Kenya called Mdudu Boy. In December 2022, Wanyama helped convince his teammate and friend, Alistair Johnston, to move to his former club, Celtic FC. Johnston has even joked that Victor was "agent Victor" for the move.
Honours and Awards
Celtic
- Scottish Premier League: 2011–12, 2012–13
- Scottish Cup: 2012–13
Tottenham Hotspur
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2018–19
CF Montréal
- Canadian Championship: 2021; runner-up: 2023
Individual Awards
- PFA Scotland Team of the Year (SPL): 2012–13
- SPL Young Player of the Year: 2012–13
- SPL Young Player of the Month: December 2011
Images for kids
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Wanyama with Tottenham Hotspur in 2017
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Wanyama playing for Celtic in 2012
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Wanyama with Southampton in 2014
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Wanyama (left) alongside Spurs clubmates in a league clash with Manchester United in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Victor Wanyama para niños
