The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has issued a plea to the government after the Harambee Stars' crushing 8-0 defeat to Senegal in a friendly on Tuesday, November 18.
In a statement shortly after the match, the FKF boss described the defeat as a wake-up call, adding that the loss exposed structural weaknesses within Kenyan football.
According to Mohammed, despite the strides Kenya has made in football in recent months, there is a need for further investment in local sports to be competitive against the best in the world.
Senegal, who are among the favourites to win the AFCON 2025, are ranked 18th in the world as per the latest FIFA rankings.
"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," a statement from the FKF boss read.
Mohammed also apologised for what was one of the biggest losses Harambee Stars has endured in national team history as he vowed a string of amendment measures, including reviewing policies and operational procedures.
Staff within the national team were also put on notice, albeit subtly, as Mohammed revealed that there would be a review of performance indicators for all staff, starting from the grassroots level to the national team.
This was the second defeat to Harambee Stars during the November international break, coming just three days after a narrow 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea.
The defeat inevitably piled more pressure on Harambee Stars boss Benni McCarthy, who, despite an impressive run during the CHAN 2024, has endured mixed results ever since.
It was, however, worth noting that going into the Tuesday friendly, Harambee Stars fielded a fairly youthful and inexperienced team, including promising young talent Aldrine Kibet, who plays his trade with Celta Vigo in the Spanish La Liga.
Senegal, however, fielded one of their strongest teams, presumably as a warm-up for the AFCON, which will take place from December 21 to January 18, 2026.
The 8-0 humiliation was compounded by another disappointing result on the same day, including a 1–1 draw by Kenya’s under-17 team against Somalia. For Mohammed, these results point to long-standing gaps in youth development.
