Former Inter Milan ace, McDonald Mariga, divulged that his mother, Mildred Wanyama, stopped him from joining the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) while he was in form three.
According to Mariga, who is the only Kenyan to lift the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy, his childhood dream was to become a soldier.
“I was really close to joining KDF because I was playing for Ulinzi Stars, and sports persons were given a job then. I met one of the KDF bosses who really liked me, and he told my mum that I must become a soldier.
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“KDF wanted to take me for military training at an early age. However, my mother declined their offer,” she told them, “No, this boy must first finish form four, before we discuss whether he will join KDF or not,” McDonald told radio presenter Fred Aracho in a recent interview.
The Kamukunji Secondary School alumni added that after playing for Ulinzi for a season, he joined the reigning Kenya Premier League (KPL) champions Tusker FC, and from there onwards, his dream of becoming a soldier was never realized.
Mariga further revealed that he received his maiden Harambee Stars call-up when he was at Tusker - a form four student then.
At the national team, he met a friend who allowed him to undergo a football trial outside the country.
“While at Harambee Stars, I met my late friend Sly Tetteh. A Ghanaian who had an organization known as Liberty Professions. That was before the Liberty Academy, which is currently headed by Ghost Mulee, was launched in Kenya.
“I went for a two-week trial in Ghana, and Tetteh told me that I would be signed. However, his foreign friend told him that they should take me to Sweden instead of playing in Ghana.
"I was happy with the foreigner's request, and thus I ended up signing for Enköpings SK,” he stated.
The midfielder, who featured for Real Sociedad, Helsingborgs IF, and Parma also narrated his first European experience.
“When I first arrived in Sweden, life was very hard. I arrived during the winter period, the snow was all over. So, it was difficult, and I had also gotten used to my mother’s cooking. Cooking for myself was hard. I was also uncomfortable living alone since I was not used to it.
“I talked to the club and requested them to allow my mother to stay with me in Sweden. The club organised for my mum and dad and my brother, Victor Wanyama, to relocate to Sweden."
The 35-year-old disclosed that life became easier when his loved ones joined him in Sweden.
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