Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has issued a public apology and pledged sweeping reforms after Harambee Stars suffered a crushing 8–0 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly match in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday evening.
The loss , one of Kenya’s heaviest in modern football history, has been described as a national embarrassment and a stark reflection of the challenges facing the country’s football structures.
Coming just days after a narrow 1–0 loss to Equatorial Guinea at the same venue, the result has amplified calls for accountability, investment, and professionalisation within the national team setup.
In a candid statement posted on X, Mohammed admitted that the performance exposed deep-rooted issues that can no longer be ignored.
“Truth be told, today is a bad day in office. The results from today’s games are a wake-up call to us. To play and compete against the best in the world requires deliberate investment in a serious and professional technical team and player development programs,” he wrote.
Mohammed took full responsibility for the team’s performance, offering an unreserved apology to Kenyans while promising decisive action.
“We have no excuses. I apologise for these results. We shall fix it. We will review our policies, operational procedures and key performance indicators of all staff starting from the grassroots and working our way to all National teams,” he added.
Wake Up Call For Harambee Stars
Senegal, one of Africa’s top football powerhouses, dominated Kenya from start to finish, exposing gaps in organisation, tactical preparedness and player development.
The FKF boss’ pledge to overhaul policies and technical structures is seen as an acknowledgement that Kenya cannot continue with business as usual if it hopes to compete favourably on the continental and global stage.
As the federation moves to evaluate its systems from the grassroots to the senior national team, Kenyans will be watching closely to see whether Mohammed’s assurances translate into meaningful action onthe back of this historic defeat.
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