Tusker FC midfielder Christine Erambo has vowed to prove his worth after earning a maiden senior national team Harambee Stars call-up.
Erambo, 19, is in head coach Engin Firat’s squad of 28 for the Four-Nation tournament in Malawi starting March 21.
The teen sensation is happy to land a call-up in his first season on the top-flight stage.
A highly-rated combative defensive midfielder, Erambo has lit up Kenyan Premier League matches with his unmatched exploits on the pitch, cementing his status as a first-team player in the Brewers’ lineup.
He joined the Ruaraka-based beermakers from National Super League side Mombasa Elite at the start of the season.
“I am happy to earn a national team call-up. It is a perfect moment to expose my skills to the world. I relish the opportunity. Featuring for the national team has always been my ambition since I began playing football,” Erambo remarked.
“I am thrilled the chance has finally come. I was not surprised when I received the call-up since I have been working hard in the league lately.”
Erambo grew up admiring and drawing inundated inspiration from celebrated Kenyan midfield maestro Victor Wanyama, who plies his trade for Canadian top-tier side Montreal.
“Consistency is the most important thing in football. It has helped me since I joined Tusker. I try as much as I can to meet the expectations of the coaches, my teammates and the fans in every match I play,” Erambo stated.
“I don’t think featuring for the national team for the first time will pose a big challenge for me. I have been yearning for this glorious opportunity. I will continue what I’ve been doing at Tusker — work hard and display the same passion. I believe this will not be my last call-up.”
Erambo, who began training with Stars in their first session on Saturday, wants to make the final squad for the matches against hosts Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Firat’s charges embarked on preparations on Saturday afternoon with all local-based players pitching camp at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
Foreign-based players started trickling in on Sunday with more expected early Monday. However, the Turkish gaffer will miss the services of Poland-based Erick Ouma and France-based Joseph Okumu, who are nursing serious injuries.
Stars will use the tournament to gauge their readiness for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Cote d’Ivoire in June.
