Education background: Attended St Peter’s Claver Primary School and Kamukunji High School in Nairobi.
Profession: Wanyama’s first steps in football are traced at JMJ Academy, Country Bus FC and Kamukunji High School.
Wanyama played for Kenyan Premier League side Nairobi City Stars (formerly World Hope FC) before he left the Kawangware-based side in July 2006 for AFC Leopards who became his home for about a year. He headed for greener pastures in Europe in July 2007 with his first stop in Sweden for the Helsingborg Under-21 for the 2007/2008 season.
Wanyama briefly returned home after his elder brother McDonald Mariga left Helsingborg to join Serie A side Parma in 2008. But his impressive displays saw him join Beerschot in Belgium after successful trials. Scottish giants Celtic signed him for 900,000 pounds in July 2011.
He played 91 matches for the Scottish champions, scoring 13 times including a powerful header against European powerhouses FC Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League group stages in 2012, and made nine assists.
Wanyama crossed over to the world's most watched football league – English Premier League – where he became the first Kenyan to play in it. The two-time Scottish champion arrived at Southampton in July 2013 for a fee of Sh1.7 billion. He played for the Saints in the same team as Sadio Mane, Toby Alderweireld and Nathaniel Clyne among others, under Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman before leaving for Tottenham Spurs in July 2016.
He shone under Pochettino in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 before injuries limited his playing time in 2018-2019 season. He was given nine minutes by Portuguese Jose Mourinho in the 2019-2020 season. He featured in 194 matches for the two English clubs including in Europa and Uefa Champions League while at Tottenham before moving to Major League Soccer (MLS) on a free transfer on March 3, 2020. His three-year deal with the Canadian side expires on December 31 this year.
Wanyama has played 89 matches for Montreal. Internationally, he is capped 64 for Kenya since 2007. He announced his retirement in September 2021.
Family: Wanyama comes from a sporting family. His father Noah Wanyama was a winger for Kenyan giants AFC Leopards and national team, Harambee Stars. Victor’s brothers McDonald Mariga, Thomas Wanyama and Sylvester Wanyama were also football players. His sister Mercy Wanyama is a top basketball player. His mother Mildred Wanyama served as Kenya Netball Federation chairperson.
Money matters: According to the updated MLS Salary Guide released on October 17 by MLS Players Association (MLSPA), Wanyama is the highest paid player at CF Montreal. With an annual base salary of USD 2.4 million (Sh290.8m) and a guaranteed compensation of USD 3,091,667 (Sh374.7m), Wanyama is 19th highest paid player in MLS. Sports salary database salary sport puts Wanyama’s net worth at over Sh2.4 billion.
The 31-year-old runs Victor Wanyama Foundation with focus on sports, education, health and environment and wildlife. He is also constructing a world-class academy in Busia County.
