In a week of reflection and resolve, Michael Olunga’s career focus has become the defining storyline for the Harambee Stars. The captain stands on the brink of history, yet he insists the headlines can wait while the hard work continues. With two away matches closing the 2026 FIFA World Cup CAF qualifiers, the conversation around personal milestones has given way to lessons, standards and the future of Kenyan football.
A record within reach but not the obsession
Olunga is within touching distance of the all-time Harambee Stars scoring record held by William Chege Ouma at 35 goals. He has 34 goals, which leaves him one strike from equalling the mark and two from breaking it, a tantalising prospect for any striker.
Yet the captain has made it plain that the chase will not distract him from his responsibilities. Speaking at Police Sacco Stadium, he underlined a team-first ethos that has guided his international journey.
“The most important thing for me is to work hard and help the team in whichever way possible … It’s not so much in my mind.”
Pressed on what the moment would mean, Olunga acknowledged the significance without losing sight of the bigger picture.
“It’s a good achievement, something any player would aspire to. Hopefully, one day, I’ll be able to become the all-time top scorer. But there’s still a lot of hard work to be done.”
Why the final qualifiers still matter
Kenya’s qualification hopes are over, and the last two fixtures are, by definition, dead rubbers. Still, the away dates with Burundi on Thursday and Ivory Coast on October 14 in Abidjan will serve a crucial purpose for both players and staff.
Olunga views them as vital checkpoints for growth under coach Benni McCarthy.
“It’s another chance to go and test ourselves outside the country and see how we perform away from home. I believe it’s also a great opportunity to continue rebuilding the squad and giving the players more exposure at this level.”
McCarthy’s brief has turned towards the horizon, with an eye on squad depth and identity as Kenya builds toward AFCON 2027. The captain echoed the need to finish strong, to give the group a standard to carry forward.
“Even though these fixtures are technically dead rubbers for us, we still want to finish strong and have a positive impact in the last two games.”
The away-day challenge and a new belief
The Harambee Stars have not hidden from their away-day struggles. There was a 4-1 defeat to Cameroon in West Africa during AFCON 2025 qualifying, and trips to Gabon also ended in disappointment, a record that has shaped the team’s ongoing search for resilience.
But there are reference points that reinforce belief. Against Ivory Coast, the African champions, Kenya took a point in a goalless draw in June 2024, a performance Olunga is happy to revisit as a standard.
“They are the African champions and in the first game we took a point [from them] … The team played quite well so it is another opportunity to go and face them in their own backyard.”
Olunga also pointed to an improved mood and mentality within the national team set-up under McCarthy.
“It has been difficult to play in West Africa, the last time we were there against Cameroon and Gabon they ended in defeat but we hope that we can change the tide. With the new wave in the national team, we hope we can perform better in away matches.”
There is a fresh edge to the competition for places too, with Austin Odhiambo recalled. And even as McCarthy manages injuries in camp, Olunga included, the intent is unmistakable, the captain must pass a late fitness test and remains central to Kenya’s attacking plans.
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Two lessons from a painful campaign
Kenya sit fifth in Group F on six points, a reflection of a campaign that never found a rhythm. Olunga has been candid about why, blending honesty with a professional demand for higher standards across the board.
He cited infrastructure and a sluggish start as decisive factors, particularly the disruption of playing early qualifiers away from home due to stadium compliance issues. Later, the Harambee Stars returned to Nairobi’s Nyayo and Kasarani, venues that are set for reopening in 2025, a reminder of how vital stable home grounds and logistics are to international performance.
- Take advantage of infrastructure and home support,
- start tournaments stronger and make every home date count.
Olunga’s view is framed by experience but aimed firmly at the future.
“I think the first lesson is that we need to take advantage of the infrastructure … We didn’t start the campaign quite well, and the infrastructure was also lagging behind.”
He added a competitive edge that should define the next cycle.
“Again, it goes to show that the competition requires us to start tournaments much stronger and to take advantage of every home game we play.”
Mindset, surfaces and the value of testing yourself
Beyond tactics and lineups, Olunga highlighted the mental and environmental hurdles that define African qualifiers. Playing in different conditions affects rhythm and decision making, and the coming trip to Burundi, with an AstroTurf surface, offers a clear test.
He framed these final assignments as opportunities to check habits and growth points. Self-assessment is how the captain describes it, a chance to learn how the team handles adversity, to build the composure required to win away from home.
Even the context is complex. As Olunga noted, when the first legs were played, every team still held ambitions of reaching the World Cup, now the equation feels starkly different.
“When we played the first leg, every team was still aspiring to qualify for the World Cup. But now, for both us and Ivory Coast, it’s quite realistically impossible to make it. Still, it’s a good opportunity for us to go out and test ourselves against strong teams.”
Beyond the record, the essence of leadership
Olunga’s stance on the scoring chase reveals the competitor and the captain. He has pressed his case for history, including a prolific run that saw him draw level with Dennis Oliech on 34 goals after a brace against Seychelles, yet his message remains consistent, the team comes first.
He underlined that priority with a commitment that extends beyond finishing chances. Whether scoring, dropping deep to link play, or organising from the front, he is ready to serve whatever the moment requires. Leadership for him is a verb, not a title, and the record, when it comes, will be a by-product of the collective.
His club career offers a window into that mindset too. At Al Duhail, he wrote himself into the history books as the all-time top scorer with 130 goals, now at Al Arabi, he carries the same hunger into national duty, fused with an acceptance that legacy is built on consistency rather than single moments.
What this stretch means for Kenya supporters
Fans have ridden the bumps of this cycle, from logistical challenges to the search for identity on the pitch. The return to full homes and the passion that accompanied recent matches have shown what is possible when Kenya play in front of their own people, the captain believes the bond between stands and squad is a competitive edge that must be protected.
There is also the simple power of performance to reset a narrative. A strong finish away to Burundi and Ivory Coast would not erase missed chances, but it would seed confidence, proof that the Harambee Stars can take their standards on the road and hold their nerve against elite opposition.
As the calendar turns beyond these qualifiers, all roads point toward a regional summit on home soil. AFCON 2027, to be co-hosted by Kenya alongside Uganda and Tanzania, looms as a catalyst for the next generation, a stage where the lessons of this campaign must translate into results.
The road ahead
Olunga’s voice has carried the dual notes of accountability and optimism. He has not shied from the failings, and he has not dimmed the ambition that still drives the group.
“These experiences will make us stronger. We must continue rebuilding, take every match seriously, and ensure we start strong in every competition. That’s the only way to progress.”
For now, Kenya travel again, with two games that will not change the table but could change the team. The record chase will tag along, a subplot that may bloom into celebration at any moment, yet even that would only underline the point Olunga keeps making. The destination that matters most is collective, and the work to get there has already begun.
