Dennis Oliech comments on McDonald Mariga with regards to UEFA Champions League

McDonald Mariga (Circled) celebrating with teammates after winning the 2010 Champions League

Dennis Oliech comments on McDonald Mariga with regards to UEFA Champions League

Mark Kinyanjui 16:00 - 02.06.2024

Oliech did play Champions League football in the 2010/11 season for AJ Auxerre.

Former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech has revealed why McDonald Mariga is the true king of Champions League football in Kenya.

Oliech had a taste of Champions League football in his playing days. In the 2010/2011 season, he played against the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid, but Auxerre were knocked out of the competition at the group stage level.

However, McDonald Mariga played a vital role for Inter after signing in January 2010 and went on to achieve a historic treble under the guidance of Jose Mourinho.

His younger brother Victor Wanyama also managed to reach a Champions League final with Tottenham, but the North London outfit fell short in the end to Liverpool. He did have memorable seasons while in Europe, especially considering he scored a famous goal against Barcelona in 2012.

Now, Oliech has revealed why he feels Mariga is the true goat of Champions League football in Kenya and East Africa.

“There is only one king of Champions League. Mariga because he has won it. He has even beaten most of the European players who have dreamt of winning it but never have,” Oliech said on NTV’s Sport On.

“Even if he did not play in the final, he played a vital role in the run-in, and he earned a lot of money from that, so for me, he is the King of Champions League in Kenya.”

Despite an unsuccessful move to England where he was to join Manchester City but failed to secure a work permit, Mariga’s football career led him to stints at Parma in Italy’s top-flight, alongside Real Sociedad in Spain.

Upon retirement, Mariga, the elder sibling to Canadian-based footballer Victor Wanyama, twice unsuccessfully contested for the Kibra parliamentary seat.

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