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Ryan Ogam signed for Tusker as a defensive midfielder, but ended up becoming the side's main striker and second runner-up in the race for the FKF Premier League golden boot.
When Ryan Ogam signed for Tusker FC in August 2024—just days before the team flew out to Uganda for their pre-season preparations under newly appointed coach Charles Okere—few would have predicted he’d become Harambee Stars’ main striker a year later, leading the line into the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Back then, Ogam was a free agent. His former club, National Super League side Rainbow FC, had been dissolved after its slot was purchased by the Michael Olunga Foundation Academy (MOFA FC).
He had just returned to Kenya from a loan spell in Dubai, where he featured for Elite Falcons FC, and joined the Brewers just in time for their Kampala training camp.
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Ryan Ogam: From Midfield Enforcer to Clinical Striker
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At Tusker, head coach Okere faced an urgent dilemma: filling the goalscoring void left by Erick Kapaito, who had departed for Tanzanian giants after just one season. Among the options was Jacob Onyango, a new signing from Sofapaka and a proven threat, having helped his former side avoid relegation.
But another, less likely option was Ogam—then a defensive midfielder known more for his powerful left foot than his goal poaching instincts. Okere, intrigued by Ogam’s ability to strike from distance, decided to test him in a more advanced role during a pre-season friendly against Kitara FC. It was a risk that would pay off handsomely.
What followed was nothing short of remarkable. Ogam went on to light up the FKF Premier League, registering 15 goals in just 17 appearances, earning Player of the Month honors and becoming one of the breakout stars of the season. His form didn’t go unnoticed—Algerian side USM Alger even tabled a reported $30,000 bid for the 20-year-old striker.
He also marked his arrival on the international stage, netting his first goal for Harambee Stars during the 2024 Mapinduzi Cup in Tanzania. But just as momentum gathered, Ogam was sidelined by a knee injury that briefly stalled his rapid rise.
Now fully recovered and back in the national setup, Ogam is hungry to deliver at CHAN 2024.
“For me, it’s a big motivation coming back from injury and being given this opportunity,” Ogam told NTV. “I have to give my 100% and hopefully score goals in this tournament.”
Ryan Ogam’s Huge Opportunity to Be a Kenyan Hero
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Before recent squad changes, Harambee Stars boss Benni McCarthy had an abundance of attacking options. The FKF Premier League’s top scorer, Moses Shumah of Kakamega Homeboyz, had struck 17 goals, followed closely by Emmanuel Osoro of FC Talanta with 16.
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But a series of late developments saw Ogam emerge as the primary attacking option, with McCarthy also considering Masoud Juma, Austin Odongo (Shabana FC), and Felix Oluoch (Posta Rangers) as possible support.
Despite having once imagined a very different role in the team, Ogam is embracing his new identity:
“As a footballer, I always imagined that one day I’d play for the national team—not as a striker—but I still dreamed of wearing the jersey,” he said. “I thank God because I’ve reached that dream, and now I’m looking forward to more.”
“I think I’m going to become a striker. I’m eager to learn every day—how to score, how to do what strikers do. I’m taking it one game at a time. Hopefully, I can score one goal in each game, and from there, we’ll see—maybe I’ll set even bigger targets.”
Benni McCarthy - Ogam Has Alot of Potential
McCarthy, a legendary former striker himself who won the UEFA Champions League with Porto under Jose Mourinho in 2004, has high hopes for Ogam, who he says has the potential to become “the next Michael Olunga”.
“He’s a player that you really have to mold and give the right guidance to turn him into a top-level striker,” said McCarthy. “He has a lot of natural ability—and with the right development—he definitely has what it takes to play in Europe.”
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“Ryan is very important to the team because he’ll probably be leading the line for us once CHAN begins. We’re working every day to get him ready.”
Ogam himself has paid homage to the former Manchester United assistant coach
“He challenges me to become better,” one of them said. “That position—being a striker—you have to stay sharp, take risks, and be confident in front of goal. Ryan’s doing just that.”
With the tournament kicking off in August and Group A matches set to be hosted at Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium, Ogam will carry the hopes of the home fans—and possibly the future of Kenyan football—on his young shoulders.
From defensive midfielder to national team striker, Ryan Ogam’s story is still being written, and CHAN 2024 could be the next unforgettable chapter.
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