Why Harambee Stars are not ready to compete on the world stage

Kenya suffered one of their worst defeats after 47 years in international football on Tuesday after losing 8-0 to former African champions Senegal in a friendly match at the Mardan Stadium in Antalya, Turkey.

Harambee Stars last succumbed to a heavy defeat in 1978 when they lost 9-0 to Zambia.

However, Tuesday's result was not just a heavy defeat but a loud and painful reminder that Harambee Stars is not yet ready to compete with the best teams in Africa, let alone on the world stage. 

This match showed a big gap in quality and mentality, leaving the majority of Kenyan football fans, ex-players, and stakeholders wondering how far the country must go before thinking of competing at the highest level.

Senegal came into the match with confidence and wasted no time showing why they are one of the strongest teams in Africa, as toothless Kenya had no answers from the first whistle.

In just 17 minutes, Senegal were already leading 4-0, with Sadio Mane scoring a hat-trick and Nicolas Jackson adding a brace as the West Africans punished Kenya’s mistakes again and again. By halftime, Senegal led 6-0, with the damage beyond repair.

Two more goals after the break completed the embarrassment, leaving Harambee Stars bruised and fans in shock.

It was a result that felt unreal, but at the same time, it exposed how Kenya is struggling to match stronger football nations, something that was already evident during the just-concluded 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The defeat was so heavy that Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Hussein Mohammed had to issue a public apology to the nation. He promised that the performance would be reviewed and changes would follow.

"Truth be told, today is a bad day in office. The results from today's games are a wake-up call to us. To play and compete against the best in the world requires deliberate investment in a serious and professional technical team and player development programmes," said Mohammed.

"We have no excuses. I apologise for these results. We shall fix it. We will review our policies, operational procedures and key performance indicators of all staff, starting from the grassroots and working our way to all national teams."

Mohammed's sentiments were echoed by his deputy, McDonald Mariga, as they took responsibility for the demolition. 

“The loss to Senegal is painful, no excuses. A harsh lesson on what top-level football demands. We take responsibility, fix our mistakes, and come back stronger. We’re not hiding, we’re not blaming anyone, and we’re not giving up. We take responsibility. We learn, we grow, and we come back stronger. To the fans, thank you for sticking with us even on days like this,” Mariga posted on his social media page.

"To the players, this is fuel, and to the team, this is a wake-up call. Harambee Stars will bounce back better, stronger, and more prepared for the level we want to compete at."

The embarrassment turned the spotlight on head coach Benni McCarthy, who has been in charge since March 2025.

McCarthy has now taken charge of 15 matches, winning six, drawing three, and losing six, but it is the nature of this defeat that now has fans demanding answers.

McCarthy arrived with a lot of hope, especially after his first match in charge against Gambia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Kenya battled to a 3-3 draw.

However, since then, the journey has been up and down. Kenya lost 2-1 at home to Gabon and later played two friendlies against Chad, drawing 0-0 in the first leg and winning 2-1 in the second.

In 2024 Chan, Kenya produced some of their best form under McCarthy, beating DR Congo, Morocco and Zambia and drawing with Angola before losing to Madagascar on penalties in the quarterfinals. It was a good run that gave many supporters hope.

However, the World Cup qualifiers that followed again showed that Kenya was still struggling to keep up.

Stars lost 3-1 to Gambia at Kasarani, hammered Seychelles 5-0, beat Burundi 1-0 and then ended with a painful 3-0 loss to Ivory Coast.

Last week, Kenya began the current international window with a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea before the Senegal humiliation completed an international break the country will want to forget.

But former Gor Mahia captain Kenneth Muguna didn't mince his words on his social media page, reminding critics of the importance of experienced players in the team.

“I will never be afraid to break the protocol or to speak, after our match against Gambia, fans questioned coach Benni’s decision to include experienced players. Now you see why those players are important in the national team setup. Hate or love me, I'll always be real," said Muguna, who currently plies his trade in Botswana. 

Former Harambee Stars striker Elijah Onsika, who played for Kisumu Posta and the national team in the 1980s and early 1990s, says Kenyan football leaders must act fast before the country heads into the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with the same problems.

Onsika has been one of the strong voices questioning the hiring of McCarthy at the expense of local coaches and now feels vindicated.

He said the South African is following the same path as many foreign coaches who came with big promises but failed to take Kenya to the next level.

“It is time Kenya trusts local coaches,” Onsika said.

“We have experienced coaches like Robert Matano and many former players who understand our football. They should work together to build a strong team.”

He added that McCarthy is not visible in grassroots football and does not travel to lower leagues to scout talent.

“He is not watching Division One, NSL or even school games where raw talent is dying. You cannot build a strong national team if you do not know what is happening at home.”