Wanyama playing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2016
|
|||
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) | ||
Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
|
Tottenham Hotspur | ||
Number | 12 | ||
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 | (4) |
2016– | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 | (2) |
National team‡ | |||
2007– | Kenya | 42 | (4) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:37, 25 February 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 May 2016 |
Victor Mugubi Wanyama (Kenyan English: [ˈvɪktɜ muˈɡubiː wɑˈɲɑːmɑ]; born 25 June 1991) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and captains the Kenya national team.
Wanyama became the first ever Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored the first goal in Celtic's 2–1 win over Barcelona on 7 November 2012. On 11 July 2013, Wanyama moved to Premier League club Southampton for £12.5 million making him the most expensive player sold by a Scottish club, surpassing the £9.5 million Russian club Spartak Moscow paid for Aiden McGeady in 2010.
He has earned over 40 caps for the Kenyan national team since making his international debut in May 2007 at the age of 15.
Wanyama attended Kamukunji High School, which fields a successful football team. Upon leaving High School, he also played with JMJ Academy for three years during which time he also joined Kenyan Premier League clubs Nairobi City Stars and AFC Leopards. In 2007 he joined Allsvenskan club Helsingborg but after the departure of his brother McDonald Mariga to Serie A side Parma in 2008, Wanyama returned to Kenya.