Kenyan ace and Everton midfielder Tyler Onyango on Sunday, November 21, made history by being the youngest Kenyan player to debut in the English Premier League.
Onyango was introduced for midfielder Allan Marques Loureiro in the dying minutes of the game. Regarded as a high stakes match for the Toffees to clinch three vital points, they suffered a 3-0 defeat against ruthless Manchester City- their fifth loss in the 2020/21 EPL campaign.
However, all traction went to the Kenyan star for his remarkable debut. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Liverpool's Divock Origi, former Tottenham player Victor Wanyama, Onyango joins the elites that have played football in top flight leagues.
As soon as the player was announced as a substitute, Kenyans took to social media to hail the 18-year-old for his historic moment.
Other netizens took the opportunity to throw shade at suspended Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Nick Mwendwa who had in a recent interview, alleged that there was no talent within the country.
"Even if you bring Jose Mourinho, even if you bring Mikel Arteta, the world that needs to be done is that we need to bring talent to the table. For you to win, you, you need quality players," read Mwendwa's sentiments, which attracted a lot of backlash.
Onyango has been grinding his way through Everton's youth academy set up leading up to his latest achievement. He recently claimed the prestigious Keith Tamlin Award at Everton's Annual Academy Awards ceremony.
According to international news outlets, the 18-year-old's salary at the club is approximately Ksh40,000 paid on a weekly basis at the under 21s level.
Born of a Kenyan father and an English mother, the star joined Everton aged eight and has been making his way up the ranks at a rate that surprised his coaches.
"I listen and learn every day and take in as much as possible. I want to maximise my potential and see where that goes," he explained during a recent interview.
The player is also eligible to play for the Kenyan national team, if he chooses to as he is yet to be capped by the English national team.
"I have been to Kenya many times over the years, most recently in the summer of 2018," he once stated during an interview in which he revealed that he was open to playing for the Kenyan national team.
The top flight leagues have provided the stage for some gifted Kenyans to show their skills against some of the best players in the world. From 19-year-old Richard Odada (plays for Serbian team Metalac FC) to Wilkims Ochieng, (17-year-old striker currently contracted at Club Brugge in Belgium), the players are making a mark and testing their skills against the top athletes in the world.
