Nakuru's Elizabeth Muteshi shines in Harambee Starlets

The triumph of Harambee Starlets over their fierce rivals, Gambia has secured a slot for them in the Women’s African Cup of Nations.

One of the players who managed to give Kenya this historic win was Nakuru’s Elizabeth Muteshi.

Her journey to playing for the Starlets is one that was filled with challenges; however, her tenacity and persistence have seen her pull through, reaching heights some only dream of.

For Elizabeth, it all started in the dusty slums of Isinya in Kajiado County, where she first saw a group of people playing football, and that is where she fell in love with the sport.

In 2019, she bid Laikipia farewell and found her way to Nakuru City, where she continued her relationship with football.

“I fell in love with football when I was 7 years old, and growing up I loved watching Hope Solo. She inspired me and made me see football as an interesting sport,” she says.

Elizabeth says that at first, her parents were unsupportive, and she faced a lot of backlash from the community.

“My parents nearly ended my career by warning me time and again against playing. But I was very stubborn, and after a while, they let me do what I like. There was also this belief that football was only for the boys and not for girls. This did not discourage me,” she says.

Elizabeth has been playing with the Nakuru Queens ever since 2019. She reveals to us that her career was progressed by her current coach, Bernard Esitoko.

“In my high school years, I started out in a day school in Kakamega, and this is where Bernard met me. I was later transferred to Moi Girls Nangili, and this is where my career took off,” she says.

After high school, she joined the under-20 Harambee Starlets team, where she was to train and compete with some of the best of the best.

“When I got the call-up to play in the senior team, it was a dream come true, and I have to admit I was very anxious, especially with everything that was at stake,” she adds.

The 21-year-old says the moment she heard the final whistle in their game against Gambia, she was overwhelmed by emotions and could not believe it.

“I was really proud of myself. This was the second time in history the Starlets had qualified for the WAFCON, and my name will go down in history as among the players who made this possible,” she notes.

Apart from making calculated moves on the pitch, Elizabeth reveals to us that she is a first-year student at Mount Kenya University (Nakuru Campus), where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics.

“I always try my best to balance my time between my studies, football, and family. So far, I think I am managing it well,” she notes.

Elizabeth, who plays as a utility player (a player who can competently play multiple positions), says through football she has been able to meet and connect with people from different parts of the country and even globally.

“I only hope we get to a point where we will be treated equally as our male counterparts, as this will help boost our morale. Because for me, growing up and even to date, more attention is given to the men, yet we have so many talented young women who, if given the same support, would also be able to make something for themselves,” she says.

Elizabeth concludes by saying, “My biggest goal is to play in the European leagues. Also, I would want to empower my fellow women who would want to play this game. I wouldn’t want to see women who are talented giving up on their dreams because of lack of support.”