Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the world, with fans across the globe uniting for one common cause - to either cheer their teams or jeer the opponents.
The allure of football, primarily in England (English Premier League), Germany (Bundesliga), France (Ligue 1) and Spain (La Liga) attracts millions of viewers - making it a lucrative opportunity for any player to get a spotlight of such magnitude to compete at top tier leagues, especially at a young age.
A couple of young Kenyan players have exceeded expectations and signed with top English Football clubs from Arsenal to Leicester FC. Kenyans.co.ke takes a look at these five teenagers.
Leo Messo - Arsenal
The 10-year-old broke the internet in May 2021 after it was announced that he had been signed by the Arsenal Academy and handed the coveted number 9 t-shirt.
Photos of Messo, dubbed the Kenyan wonderkid, and Arsenal Academy manager Per Mertesacker circulated online, making it official.
Born in Siaya County, Messo and his family moved to the UK where the young talent horned his skills at West Ham United before making the ultimate move to Arsenal. He currently seeks to emulate the likes of former Arsenal player Alex Iwobi and current striker Eddie Nketiah.
Mwadime Kazungu - Leicester FC
Hailed as a bright prospect, Kazungu is a rising star playing for Leicester Under 15s side. Beginning his professional career at just five years old, the 13-year-old trained at MK Dons - academy which has produced the likes of Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli.
He participated in multiple tournaments and was voted among the best players of various English tournaments. The young lad also turned down an opportunity to sign for Tottenham at the age of nine and instead opted for Leicester in order to hone his craft.
Tyler Onyango - Everton FC
Tyler Onyango has been a powerful force in Everton under 23s, which ultimately earned him a promotion to the senior team on January 1, 2021.
His youth coach affirmed that the 18-year-old is headed for a bright future. Though subsequent surgeries prevented the young lad from making appearances at the senior team, he is still regarded as one of the hot prospects in English football.
George Gitau - Middlesbrough FC
The young lad joined Middlesbrough FC on an Academic scholarship in January 2020 - which got Kenyans excited to witness the player perfect his skills in England.
Before joining Middlesbrough FC, the 17-year-old had brief stints with Crystal Palace, Arsenal, and Brighton. Playing as a right back, he's praised for his agile nature as well as smooth ball possession skills.
Micah Obiero Obonyo - Huddersfield
Branded as a protege, Obiero is a well sort out talent playing for Championship side Huddersfield. He joined the team during the 2016/17 season after a successful trial period. He scored his first professional goal against Aston Villa under 23s in the English Football League trophy. Previously he has had loan stints at Carlisle and Halifax.
