Former Harambee Stars captain MacDonald Mariga has responded to critics bashing him after a past photo of him with newly appointed Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany reappeared on social media.
A blogger, Francis Gaitho shared a picture of Mariga tackling Kompany during a past Manchester City vs. Inter Milan match, implying that the Kenyan footballer was not doing as well as his counterpart.
In his post, the blogger seemed to be mocking Mariga’s decision to enter politics. He noted that Kompany is now a coach whereas Mariga is a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) member.
“Vincent Kompany of Belgium and McDonald Mariga of Kenya during a past football match between Manchester City and Inter-Milan. Vincent Kompany is now the Bayern Munich manager and Macdonald Mariga is a UDA member based in Kibra,” said Gaitho.
However, Mariga responded fiercely, defending his choices as he warned the social media personality against mentioning his name.
![MacDonald Mariga and William Ruto during a past campaign. Photo/Courtesy](https://thekenyatimes.com/storage/2024/06/ybyvgxaxk8y21f18kp1r5d98c8f77acae-750x375.webp)
“Stop posting my name on social media,” Mariga said.
Also Read: Mariga Says He Will Not Be Intimidated After He Was Allegedly Attacked By Goons
Mariga in UEFA Champions League final
McDonald Mariga played for Inter Milan from 2010 to 2014. He joined the club on 1 February 2010 in a co-ownership deal.
Mariga made his debut for Inter Milan in the first leg of the 2009-10 Coppa Italia Semi-final against Fiorentina, where Inter narrowly won the match 1–0
In March 2010, he became the first Kenyan to play in the UEFA Champions League, entering the field as a late substitute against Chelsea.
His time at Inter Milan was a significant milestone in his career, especially being part of the squad that won the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League title.
Vincent Kompany’s Progress to Bayern Munchi Coach
Kompany has since spent 11 years as a city player and obtained 4 English Premier League (EPL) titles, 2 Football Association (FA) cups, 4 English Football League (EFL) cups, and two community shields.
Kompany returned to his boyhood club, Anderlecht, as a player-manager and later, transitioned to a full-time coaching role after retiring from playing due to injury.
After two seasons at Anderlecht, Kompany ventured back to England, taking over as the head coach of Burnley in the summer of 2022.
He guided Burnley to immediate promotion to the Premier League, but unfortunately, they were relegated again in their first season back.
The 38-year-old has now signed a three-year contract, to 2027 as the new Bayern Munich coach.
Also Read: How Two Kibera Girls Caught Manchester City’s Attention
Mariga After Hanging His Boots
On the other hand, Mariga transitioned into politics after retiring from professional football.
Mariga announced his political aspirations and contested for the Kibera parliamentary seat in a by-election, in 2019.
He was nominated as the Jubilee party flag bearer in the constituency but lost.
Moreover, he unsuccessfully vied for the Kibera parliamentary seat in the 2022 general elections under the UDA party ticket.
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![Mariga](https://thekenyatimes.com/storage/2024/06/Untitled-design-7.png)
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