Manze huyu sasa amekuwa sonko

The second-hand clothes dealers next to the City Stadium are normally busy. But for a few minutes on Wednesday, they had to literally close shop and welcome Kenya’s current top footballing name, McDonald Mariga.

Mariga drove into the country’s oldest stadium in his H3 Hummer to be officially appointed Copa Coca-Cola Goodwill Ambassador.

“Manze huyu sasa amekuwa sonko; kuchezea Inter si joke” (He has now become a big guy; to play for Inter Milan isn’t a joke),” quipped Martin Mwangi, a hawker.

The player, who capped his impressive run with his new club Inter by bagging three titles that included the Uefa Champions League trophy, mingled with the Under-17 Copa Coca-Cola players, who are in training camp ahead of their trip to South Africa. He pledged to help develop the sport from the grassroots.

“I appreciate the recognition that Coca-Cola has given me, and I also take the challenge to do my part to help in developing soccer skills in our country,” said the 23-year-old Harambee Stars midfielder, who was also presented with a ticket to a quarter-final match at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa next month.

Unique opportunity

Coca-Cola Senior Brand Manager Pamela Mutua hailed the player for having done the firm and the country proud.

Kenyan football fans had a unique opportunity to see one of their own playing in the Champions League.

And although Mariga was benched in the Italian club’s final against Bayern Munich, it was worth rapturous cheers from his compatriots.

“It’s every player’s wish to play in any final of the Champions League. Yes, I was a little disappointed, but again, there is always the second chance,” he said.

The country’s next generation of talent will have a taste of international competition as the Copa Coca-Cola Football Stars Inter-Africa tournament brings together the best youngsters on the continent for a week from June 5 to 10 in South Africa.