Mariga drops hint of retirement from International duty
Has McDonald Mariga finally quit international football? This seems to be the case, even though the 30-year-old midfielder is yet to make it official.
The clearest hint of Mariga’s impending retirement came when he was recently unveiled as the brand Ambassador of betting firm Betin.
In its press statement, Betin refers to Mariga as a “former Harambee Stars international.”
Efforts to get Mariga, who is currently plays for Real Oviedo in the Spanish second tier league, for a comment on this subject have not been successful.
However, sources close to the player suggest he is no longer keen on extending his 40 international caps.
LAST APPEARANCE
Mariga statistically is Kenya’s most successful footballer, having won among other accolades, the UEFA Champions League and Italian Serie A titles with Inter Milan in 2010 under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho.
Success has however eluded the attacking midfielder during his national team stint that stretches over a decade, as the Kenya national football team repeatedly failed to qualify for any international competition.
Mariga’s last appearance in national colours was during the team’s 1-0 loss to Togo in August 2014 and consequent elimination from the 2015 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers.
Current Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi has yet to select the player during his year long reign.