McDonald Mariga: Career info, earnings and political ambitions

• McDonald Mariga is a retired professional footballer from Kenya who played as a midfielder
• The 36-year-old was part of Inter Milan’s squad that won the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League title
• His father, Noah Wanyama, is a former footballer who played as a winger for Premier League club AFC Leopards

Our McDonald Mariga biography brings you facts about his early life, football journey, political ambitions and personal life. To start with, McDonald Mariga is a retired professional footballer from Kenya who spent the majority of his career days playing for European clubs.

Mariga played mainly as a defensive midfielder and had spells at clubs such as Parma, Real Ovieda, Real Sociedad and Inter Milan. The 36-year-old was part of Inter Milan’s squad that won the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League title.

McDonald Mariga. Photo/ Sports Brief.

Mariga is the older brother of Montreal CF midfielder Victor Wanyama. Check out McDonald Mariga biography to learn more about the retired footballer.

McDonald Mariga Biography

Career

McDonald Mariga began his football journey at Kenyan Premier League club Ulinzi Stars. He then moved to Tusker FC and later Kenya Pipeline while still at Kamukunji High School.

Following his impressive performance, Mariga moved to Sweden in 2005 and joined third division club Enkopings SK. The young midfielder spent a season at the club and then continued his football journey at Helsingborgs IF.

Mariga was close to joining Premier League club Portsmouth but the deal collapsed at final stages due to work permit issues. He ended up signing with Serie A club Parma during the summer of 2007. He initially joined Parma on loan before the deal was later made permanent.

Following his impressive performance at Parma, McDonald Mariga secured a transfer to Serie A giants Inter Milan in February 2010. The following month he became the first Kenyan to play in the UEFA Champions League when he played against Chelsea.

During his time with Inter Milan, Mariga won the Serie A, UEFA Champions League, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and FIFA Club World Cup. The talented midfielder was released in May 2014 and had a second spell at Parma before later playing for Latina, Real Ovieda and Cuneo Calcio.

Following his retirement from professional football, McDonald Mariga decided to pursue a career in politics. He vied for the Kibera parliamentary seat in 2019 following the death of Ken Okoth but lost.

McDonald Mariga. Photo/ Nairobi News.

Career Earnings

To further your interest in reading McDonald Mariga biography we take a look at his career earnings on this part. According to the footballer’s salary profile on Capology.com, he has earned a gross total of $6,674,052 in his football career.

Mariga was one of the highest-paid African footballers at the peak of his career. During the 2010-11 season, Inter Milan paid him a cool $1,562,911. In his last two seasons with the Serie A club, he pocketed an annual salary of $1,372,827 and $1,214,424.

Net Worth

McDonald Mariga made a lot of money during his days as a professional footballer. Despite his political aspirations not bearing fruits so far, the 36-year-old’s net worth is estimated to be $7 million as of 2023. He currently earns from his various businesses and doing brand endorsements.

Personal Life

Well, our McDonald Mariga biography would be incomplete without talking about his personal life. To begin with, Mariga was born on 4 April 1987, in Nairobi, Kenya. His father, Noah Wanyama, is a former professional footballer who played as a winger for Premier League club AFC Leopards.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, one of Mariga’s brothers, Victor Wanyama, plays professionally for Montreal CF. His other brothers, Thomas and Sylvester, play in the Kenyan Premier League. He has a younger sister, Mercy, who previously played football and netball.

Moving on to his marital affairs, McDonald Mariga is not yet married. The retired footballer ended his engagement to his long-time Rwandese fiance Ariane Umutoni in 2013. He has previously been linked to Kenyan TV personality Joey Muthengi.

FAQs

Where was Mariga born?

Nairobi, Kenya.

How old is McDonald Mariga?

McDonald Mariga is currently 36 years old.

Are Mariga and Wanyama brothers?

Yes, Mariga is the older brother of Victor Wanyama.

Is McDonald Mariga married?

Mariga is not yet married.

When did Mariga retire?

Mariga retired from professional football in 2019.