Former Kenya captain Victor Wanyama (33) has openly regretted ending his career at Tottenham Hotspur without winning a trophy with the Premier League club.
Former Kenya captain Victor Wanyama has opened up about his time at Tottenham Hotspur, admitting that his biggest regret was leaving the club without winning a trophy. The 33-year-old midfielder, who last played for CF Montreal, spent five years at Spurs but was unable to lift any silverware despite coming close on several occasions.
Wanyama, who moved to Tottenham in June 2016 from Southampton, was part of Mauricio Pochettino’s squad that reached the 2019 UEFA Champions League final but fell short against Liverpool. Looking back at his time in North London, he expressed how much he and his teammates wanted to bring success to the club.
Wanyama’s Regret Over Tottenham’s Trophy Drought
Despite being a key part of a talented Spurs squad, Wanyama left the club without achieving a major trophy win. Speaking in an interview with Tottenham TV before Spurs’ recent 1-0 victory over Manchester United, the Kenyan midfielder admitted that he would have loved to contribute to the club’s silverware collection.
“You know, unfortunately, there is one thing that we would have loved to do for the club—it was to win a trophy, but we didn’t do it with our group,” Wanyama said.
“I believe with the current squad, the group that they have right now, they will do something special for the team one day. During our time, we had a good team, and we always wanted to improve in each game, so every weekend when we went out, we wanted to prove that we could stay at the top.”
Wanyama was part of the Spurs squad that consistently finished in the top four of the Premier League, competing against the best teams in England and Europe. Despite their efforts, the club’s last trophy remains the 2008 League Cup, which they won after defeating Chelsea at Wembley.
Memorable Moments at Spurs
While Wanyama may not have won a trophy, he left a lasting impact at Tottenham with his performances and crucial goals.
He made an instant impact after joining Spurs, scoring his first goal in a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace on his home debut. That goal made him the 138th different player to score for Tottenham in the Premier League, further adding to the club’s long list of goal scorers.
One of his most iconic moments came in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield in 2018, when he scored a thunderous strike from outside the box, which was later voted the Premier League Goal of the Month. Reflecting on that goal, Wanyama said:
“When I was running towards the ball, I just thought that this is rolling really well, you know, the ball is just begging me to hit it hard, so I hit it one time, and it went into the top corner.”
Great #PL goals
└ 2018
└ Anfield
└ Victor Wanyama#GoalOfTheDay ⚪️ @SpursOfficial pic.twitter.com/HwBcj62p3I— Premier League (@premierleague) December 19, 2021
He also scored the last-ever goal at White Hart Lane, netting in a 2-1 victory over Manchester United, marking the end of an era for Spurs before they moved to their new stadium.
“You know scoring in the last game against a team like Man United, and last game at the Lane, it was a very big deal because you know closing the stadium with a goal, always will be remembered, and it was a proud moment closing with a win, closing the pitch with a win, that was the biggest achievement for me.”
Partnership with Mousa Dembélé
During his time at Spurs, Wanyama formed a strong midfield partnership with Belgian international Mousa Dembélé. The duo controlled games with their strength, technical ability, and defensive presence, making them one of the most formidable midfield pairings in the Premier League at the time.
Speaking about his partnership with Dembélé, Wanyama said:
“It was a good bond, it was a good connection. Me and Mousa, we enjoyed what we were doing, and we were complimenting each other very well… We miss those moments.”
Their chemistry helped Tottenham compete at the highest level, with the team finishing as runners-up in the 2016/17 Premier League season, their highest league finish in decades.
Why Wanyama Left Tottenham
In August 2019, Tottenham announced that they had agreed to transfer Wanyama to Club Brugge for £13 million, but the move broke down after the Kenyan midfielder raised concerns about the transfer.
Instead, he remained at Spurs for a few more months before moving to MLS side CF Montreal in March 2020. He became a Designated Player, captaining the team to a Canadian Championship victory in 2021 before leaving the club in January 2025 after his contract expired.
Retirement from International Football
Wanyama also had an illustrious international career with Kenya, making his debut at just 15 years old in a friendly against Nigeria in 2007.
He went on to earn 64 caps, scoring six goals for the national team before announcing his retirement from international football in 2021 after being repeatedly overlooked for selection during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Wanyama’s Future
Now a free agent, Wanyama has not yet announced his next move, but his experience and leadership could still make him a valuable asset to clubs looking for an experienced midfielder.
While he regrets leaving Tottenham without a trophy, his contributions to the club will always be remembered by Spurs fans. His journey from Kenya to the Premier League remains an inspiration to young African footballers dreaming of playing at the highest level.
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