Aldrine Kibet Thanks Ababu Namwamba after Celta Vigo Move "You Set Platform for Me"
- Aldrine Kibet's move to Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo sparks a momentum for his professional football run
- The youngster has recognised former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba's hand in his promising journey thus far
- Aldrine's sport got a spark during Ababu's tenure in the Sports docket; he appreciated the former CS for setting an enabling environment to propel him to football greatness
Don't miss out! Join Tuko.co.ke Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Kenyan fast-rising football star Aldrine Kibet has lauded former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba for offering the essential support he needed to launch his professional football career.
Source: Twitter
Kibet is destined for sport greatness after a major move to Spanish La Liga team, Celta Vigo.
The youngster was signed from Nastic Sports Academy, where he has been honing his craft for close to two years.
How Aldrine Kibet hailed Ababu
Speaking about the Celta Vigo move, Aldrine recognised Namwamba's hand in his journey, noting that he got on the tram to football stardom during Ababu Namwamba's tenure as the Sports CS.
According to him, it was the frameworks and strategies by the CS that saw him get a call-up to the Spanish soccer academy.
"I just want to say thank you. You set a very good platform for me to be here. The period you were the CS, it was a godsend because you set something for us to grant us the pathway for greatness, and I wanted to say thank you very much, sir," Aldrine said in a video call with Ababu.
On his part, Ababu, who is Kenya’s envoy to the United Nations Environment Programme, Ababu Namwamba, expressed admiration for the remarkable rise of the football prodigy.
He assured Kibet of his presence during the player's debut match.
"I am a phenomenal fan of yours, and I cheer you every step. When you make your debut game, the first match you play in, I will be in the stadium. Now I am a Celta Vigo fan," Ababu promised.
Kibet’s transfer—valued at nearly Ksh 1 billion—marks a major milestone in his career.
As indicated earlier, Kibet's talent blossomed during Ababu’s tenure as Sports Cabinet Secretary.
Source: Twitter
His breakout moment came from the 2023 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) tournaments, where he represented St. Anthony’s Boys High School.
Following his stellar performance, Kibet was scouted by Spain’s Nastic Sports Academy, located in Tarragona, which prepared him for the top-tier competition.
His official move to the La Liga side came through a €6 million (around KSh 900 million) deal.
As part of his integration into the club, he’ll train with Celta Fortuna before advancing to the main team.
How Aldrine Kibet shot to limelight
Kibet wowed football lovers with his remarkable spectacle during the KSSSA tournament in Kakamega in August 2023.
He was playing for the St Anthony's Boys Kitale, which emerged as the overall male champions in the ball games.
Kibet had a good run, which climaxed at the finals played at Bukhungu Stadium.
In the 2023 finals, St Anthony's Boys battled it out against Dagoretti Boys High School team in a high-intensity matchup at the finals.
Dagoretti earned their place in the final by edging out Agoro Sare through a dramatic penalty shootout.
Their hopes of victory were dashed when Kibet, then a dynamic midfielder for St Anthony's, struck twice—his second-half thunderbolt sealing the brace.
Nicknamed the Solidarity Boys, St Anthony's had advanced to the final after a hard-fought win against Shanderema from Kakamega.
Kibet's powerful left-footed strike for the second goal made the difference, the victory marking their sixth championship title.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
