•The players were drawn from teams that flew the flags of various counties in the nationwide Talanta Hela Under-19 football tournament, won by Homabay boys and Busia girls respectively.
•The Talanta Hela U19 competition began in August at the Ward level and progressed to the regional finals, where 12 regions around the nation were selected.
Image: HANDOUT
The country is gearing up for a rousing football festival on Tuesday when the national Under-20 boys and girls select teams square off against the best talent from Busia County.
In a statement, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba announced that preparations have begun for the New Year's match between the Kenyan national teams and the Busia County U-20 Combine.
"To kick off what we pray to be a fruitful exciting new year, I have invited the national U20 boys and girls to play exhibition games on January 2, 2024," Namwamba remarked.
The CS spoke even as he officially announced the final roster for the Talanta Hela U17 and U20 Girls and Boys Select Team 2023.
The players were drawn from teams that flew the flags of various counties in the nationwide Talanta Hela Under-19 football tournament, won by Homabay boys and Busia girls respectively.
Mandera custodian Dahir Abdikadir headlines the stellar list of 20 budding footballers tasked with the duty to hoist the country's flag in the Under-17 championships. The boys' U20 team also consists of 20 players.
The 25-member girls' U17 team comprises Homabay sensational striker Joy Marvelous who netted 10 goals in one match during the national edition of the tournament against Marsabit where they won 24-0.
Rising Starlets enterprising midfielder Sunira from Uasin Gishu made the final list of the Girls' Under-20 national team which also has 25 players.
Image: HANDOUT
"National U17 and U20 boys and girls Teams, all set to grow and fly our national flag. This is the ultimate destination for our deliberate, intentional, and structured effort to identify, nurture, and monetize talents through the Talanta Hela flagship," Namwamba stated.
"I am delighted that the talent progression pipeline we have established right from the school ecosystem, through the Talanta Hela U19 Inter-County Football Tournament, is bearing fruits, even faster than anticipated," he added.
The respective squads were put in place after a thorough selection process that roped in revered local football coaches and celebrated ex-Kenyan internationals including Robert Matano, Musa Otieno, Allan Wanga, Bernard Onyango, Stanley Okumbi, Hesborne Nyabinge, Salim Babu, Winna Shilavula, Richard Madegwa, Stephen Ochola, Evans Adek, Evans Wanjala Pauline Awuor and Jackline Juma.
"I thank our Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) for anchoring this exciting football renaissance odyssey, and our dedicated team of scouts and coaches, including legends of our game."
Namwamba said he was satisfied with the lists that were presented to him after the scouts rummaged through the country for quality.
"We have teams that genuinely reflect the face of Kenya, identified fairly, openly, and competitively from the grassroots across the length and breadth of our country, from Todonyang in the North to Loitoktok in the South, Bamba in the East to Budalangi in the West," Namwamba stated.
"As we prepare these teams for elite training camp and the MICFootball - InternationalYoung Football Tournament in Spain next spring, we will continue to give a chance to other deserving talents domiciled both in Kenya and abroad. We must be deliberate intentional and structured in building strong teams for national duty.
The CS said Kenya will contest all future U17 and U20 World Cup qualifiers starting in 2024 as part of this long-term masterplan.
"We are determined to build a formidable Harambee Stars for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations that we are co-hosting, and the 2030 World Cup."
The Talanta Hela U19 competition began in August at the Ward level and progressed to the regional finals, where 12 regions around the nation were selected.
Four additional participants who qualified from the Nyeri play-off event joined the winners for the national showpiece.
The nationals lasted ten days, with three locations—the Moi Sports Center Kasarani, Jamhuri Grounds, and Nyayo National Stadium—hosting matches.
"A truly historic initiative. A very exciting journey that has been traveled by both the national government and the county government," Namwamba remarked.