McCarthy on how more Harambee Stars players can feature in top European leagues
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 07.12.25. | 12:53
Kenya has historically struggled to break into the top tiers of world football
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed how he intends to elevate Kenyan players to the standards required to compete in elite leagues such as the English Premier League, LaLiga and the Bundesliga.
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Kenya has historically struggled to break into the top tiers of world football, with Victor Wanyama still the only Kenyan to feature in the English Premier League.
His brother, McDonald Mariga, played in LaLiga and the Serie A, while former Harambee Stars captain Dennis Oliech spent several seasons in the French Ligue 1.
Michael Olunga had a stint in LaLiga, and Ayub Timbe was also in the books of Reading, who were then in the English Championship
Despite the limited representation, McCarthy believes Kenya has enough raw talent capable of reaching those levels, if properly guided and trained.
He points to modern coaching methods, high-intensity sessions and improved sporting facilities as the foundation for producing world-class players.
“You want to take yourself to a level where you can play in Spain or England, and this is the next step for Kenyans who played in CHAN,” McCarthy told Sporty TV.
“The intensity of the training sessions becomes much more demanding and tough because I think the talent is there.
We can build a really good team from the local players and those playing internationally,” he said, stressing that modern training standards will be key to unlocking the next generation of stars.
McCarthy, however, noted that training alone is not enough.
He argues that Kenyan players must gain regular exposure to top-level competition, something he feels they experienced in the recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and friendly matches.
The South African tactician says those fixtures offered invaluable lessons and insists that tournaments like the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host, present a prime opportunity for local players to market themselves to major European leagues.
“It will take time because moving from CHAN to AFCON and World Cup qualifiers is a big step,” McCarthy said.
"The players have to step up and be brave because it can be a life-changing opportunity for all of them who play in the local league. When you do well at the international stage, you get looked at by LaLiga teams.”
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He remains optimistic that the current project will bear fruit, adding:
“Hopefully, from the World Cup qualifiers and the AFCON coming to Kenya in 2027, we will have many more Kenyan players playing in bigger leagues in Spain, the Premier League and the Bundesliga.”
