Former Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama Reveals Motivation Behind Scotland Return

Victor Wanyama. Photo. Imago

Former Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama Reveals Motivation Behind Scotland Return

Evans Ousuru 17:32 - 25.05.2025

Victor Wanyama opens up about what drove him to return to Scotland for a second spell.

Victor Wanyama's return to Scotland in March on an unlikely rescue mission at Dunfermline Athletic came as a surprise to many.

But the former Harambee midfielder - arguably East Africa's greatest ever player - says his affinity for the country's football fans meant it was not a hard decision.

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"Scottish people and the community, they really look after visitors. They are good people and they embrace their culture," Wanyama told BBC Sports Africa.

"Always loving, it doesn't matter where you come from, and they see you as one of their own. And they love their football."

Wanyama's links with Scotland were born during his first spell there, having joined Celtic from Belgian side Beerschot in 2011.

The first Kenyan to play in the Scottish Premiership, he made his name by winning two league titles and a Scottish Cup, success that earned him a big-money move to Premier League side Southampton in 2013.

He would go on to be part of the Tottenham Hotspur team that reached the Uefa Champions League final in 2019, before moving to Canada for a five-year spell with Major League Soccer side Montreal Impact.

After savouring ties with Montreal Impact, Wanyama was reunited with former coach Neil Lennon at Dunfermline in the Scottish Championship.

Wanyama played a crucial role in helping Dunfermline maintain their championship status after languishing in the danger zone for the better part of the season.