Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy says the Harambee Stars do not yet have the resources or squad strength to challenge Africa’s leading nations at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
McCarthy placed Morocco, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal ahead of Kenya, while also naming Guinea among the teams capable of competing for the biggest prizes on the continent.
“Even if I were paid millions and millions of dollars to win the Africa Cup of Nations, I do not think Kenya have the resources or a strong enough team to compete with Morocco, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire or Senegal,” he said.
The coach believes those countries have players of a higher quality and greater experience of continental football. Kenya, by contrast, still have several stages to complete before they can be considered serious contenders for the trophy.
McCarthy says Kenya need a long-term plan
McCarthy does not believe Kenya’s football can be transformed within a matter of months. He says several years of sustained work will be required to build a team capable of competing regularly with Africa’s top sides.
The coach suggested it could take as long as 10 years to establish the foundations needed for Kenya to emerge as genuine title challengers. That process would include developing players and improving the resources available to the national team.
Despite his assessment, McCarthy said Kenya would continue pursuing its ambition on the African stage. The Harambee Stars will attempt to close the gap on the continent’s leading teams gradually.
For McCarthy, winning the Africa Cup of Nations is not an impossible objective. However, he believes Kenya must first overcome a significant shortfall in squad quality, experience and supporting resources.
