Ben Stanley Omondi: Harambee Stars jewel lighting up CHAN 2024

Under the burning spotlight of CHAN 2024, a new hymn is rising from the Harambee Stars midfield.

Ben Stanley Omondi, Gor Mahia’s gifted playmaker, is turning matches into theatre.

Once a boy facing Chelsea and Porto in Southampton and now a man under Benni McCarthy’s watchful gaze, Omondi is proving that Kenyan football can still dream, and dream big.

Football remembers its dreamers. For Omondi, the spark lit in 2017 has never dimmed. “I was only 14 when we went to Southampton,” Omondi recalled. “We played against Porto, against Chelsea, and I knew then that I wanted to test myself against the best. That memory still fuels me today.”

That fire never left him. From Migori Youth, where he debuted at 16 in the National Super League, to the halls of Gor Mahia, Omondi’s path has been stitched together by persistence.

At Gor Mahia, he has grown into a player who does not just fill space, but commands it. His teammates look for him, his opponents fear him, and his coach praises him.

“For now, since this is my first time being part of the senior national team, my first goal was to make it into the final 25-man squad, which I achieved,” Omondi said.

“The next step was to fight my way into the starting XI, and I’ve managed that too. But I’m not done — I want to become a permanent starter, to be the kind of player Harambee Stars can always rely on.”

The jump from club to country is heavy, but Omondi has not shied away. “Yes, I’ve pictured myself in the starting lineup, but I know it’s not easy,” he admitted. “Every day in training feels like an exam. Every pass, every tackle, every run is judged. You cannot relax because someone else is waiting for that chance. That’s why consistency is everything.”

He smiled, then added: “When you wear that jersey, you feel Kenya on your shoulders. It’s pressure, but it’s also pride.”

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has not hidden his admiration for the youngster. “Ben is one of those players you don’t need to push too hard,” McCarthy said.

“He pushes himself. He listens, he learns, and he’s brave enough to try things most players his age wouldn’t dare. That’s why he’s in my starting XI.”

McCarthy went further, praising Omondi’s mindset: “What impressed me most is his hunger. He doesn’t want to just be here — he wants to leave a mark. That’s the kind of mentality we need if Harambee Stars are to rise in African football.”

Even as CHAN provides a grand stage, Omondi’s eyes gaze across the horizon. “I want to play in Europe. I’m working every day for that,” Omondi said firmly. “It’s not just about me. It’s about showing that Kenyan players can compete abroad, that we can carry our flag to bigger leagues.”

Coach McCarthy, himself a man who conquered European football, believes the dream is not far-fetched.

“If he keeps his head down and keeps working the way he has, there’s no reason why he cannot play in Europe,” McCarthy said. “The raw talent is there, the discipline is there. All he needs is the right break.”

For Omondi, CHAN 2024 is not just another tournament. It is his audition before Africa and beyond.

“CHAN is massive for me,” Omondi said. “Here, you’re not just representing Kenya, you’re representing the Kenyan league. Every touch counts, because scouts are watching, fans are watching, and your future could change in 90 minutes.”

McCarthy echoed the sentiments. “CHAN is the perfect tournament for players like Ben. You don’t get to hide. You either rise or you fall. And he is rising.”

In a country that has often waited too long for its football heroes, Omondi is carrying more than just a ball. He is carrying hope. “When I see young kids watching our matches, I remember being in their shoes,” Omondi reflected. “If my journey can inspire them to dream bigger, then I’ve done more than just play football.”

It is a statement that reflects maturity beyond his years. From the dusty pitches of Migori to the stormy nights in Southampton, to the blazing arenas of CHAN 2024, Ben Stanley Omondi has lived many footballing lives already. But if his words and his coach’s faith are to be believed, his story has only just begun.

Benni McCarthy summed it best: “Ben is the kind of player who makes you believe. When he’s on the pitch, you feel something is possible. Kenya needs players like him, and Africa is about to know his name.”

And so, as CHAN 2024 unfolds, Kenya’s jewel in midfield keeps writing his chapter — one pass, one vision, one heartbeat at a time.