The defender has battled injuries in recent months but feels a national team call-up for CHAN 2024 is a reward for his hard work last season.
Tusker defender Michael Kibwage is still pinching himself after getting a Harambee Stars call-up for the upcoming 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN 2024).
Kibwage was among the players named in the provisional squad for CHAN 2024 by coach Benni McCarthy which is set to begin preparations for the tournament that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The defender has had to battle injuries and returned in the latter months of last season after battling a groin problem and receiving a national team call-up has left him speechless.
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21:25 - 02.07.2025
CHAN 2024: Benni McCarthy Names Harambee Stars Provisional Squad
Benni McCarthy has unveiled a 35-man provisional Harambee Stars squad for the 2024 CHAN tournament, his first major assignment as Kenya’s head coach.
“It has been a really difficult season for me with injury and coming back to try win my place back. It hasn’t been easy but I have really worked my way up,” Kibwage told Telecomasia.net.
Kibwage Grateful for ‘Second Lease of Life’
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“It was a surprise call for me and I am really grateful to get back to the national team. This feels like a second lease of life and I am prepared to get in there, work hard and prove myself. The CHAN tournament is a huge platform and every player wants to feature in such and my dream is to try and make the final squad.”
Kibwage made his Harambee Stars debut as a 20-year-old in May 2018 and has so far managed eight caps but his last appearance for the national team was in March 2021 during a friendly match with Tanzania.
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11:49 - 03.07.2025
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Injuries have hampered him in recent years for Tusker but he now hopes to impress in training and make the final team as Kenya seeks to assert themselves at the tournament where they are in a tough Group A that has Morocco, Angola, DR Congo and Zambia.