Aldrine Kibet: From dusty roads of Poror to alluring streets of La Liga

“Aldrine Kibet! Remember the name!”

The Bukhungu Stadium announcer said this after the youngster scored a brace to help St Anthony’s Boys Kitale edge Dagoretti High School 2-0 to win a record sixth KSSSA national football title in 2023.

Two years down the line, Kibet’s name is just hours away from being mentioned again – this time, however, at Balaídos Stadium in Spain.

A journey born of raw talent, relentless dedication, and family support is now poised to hit another milestone as the 18-year-old Kenya Under-20 midfielder closes in on a transfer to Spanish top-tier side Celta Vigo.

And from one flight to another, yesterday, Kibet’s father Christopher Komen and mother Irine Kwalia were criss-crossing Spanish towns to arrive in Vigo on time to grace today’s memorable signing ceremony.

“I’m heading to Vigo for the official signing ceremony tomorrow (Tuesday). Let’s connect later,” Kwalia, Kibet’s mother, told Standard Sports on the phone.

While the deal is expected to be completed today, many Kenyans are already praising Kibet whilst urging other upcoming players to follow the footsteps of the Nastic Academy product.

Discovered during the Term Two secondary school games, which ended at the weekend in Kakamega, hosts of this year’s East Africa Games, many fans and parents alike are calling for stakeholders to help identify and nurture more Kibets.

This is because it is true that Kibet’s story reads like a modern football fairy tale.

From the rural village of Poror in Baringo County to the doorstep of Spanish La Liga – who could have predicted this two years ago?

Kibet’s football life began in the most modest of settings. At the age of four, his father Christopher Komen handed him a ball, igniting a passion that would grow with every kick, every backyard game, and every early morning practice.

“He would sleep with the ball above his bed and kick it before breakfast,” his father, Christopher Komen, said in a past interview.

That passion carried Kibet through the ranks at Nakuru Youth Sports Academy and then St Anthony’s Boys Kitale, where he left an imprint.

Former St Anthony’s Kitale principal Victor Makanda told Standard Sports that Kibet was a young promising talent whom he helped nurture after admitting him through a full scholarship in 2020.

“Kibet was identified through our scouts who are all over the country,” said Makanda, who currently heads St Mary’s School Yala in Siaya County.

“He was a very tiny boy, but had skills and belief despite his size and age. I saw something special in the boy. Apart from discipline, he had the hunger to succeed where many doubted him. That made me give him a full scholarship and a platform to express himself on the field.

“In fact, when I moved to Yala in 2023, Kibet and many more students wanted to follow me to Yala, but I always believed in partnership and handed him over to the new boss to avoid bad blood and instead foster a stronger future relationship between Yala and Kitale,” added Makanda.

In 2023, he was instrumental in leading the school to a record sixth national title in Kakamega, scoring 25 goals and delivering 27 assists.

His dominance earned him MVP honours and a coveted scholarship to Nastic Sports Academy in Spain.

It was in Spain that Kibet began to truly mould his game to European standards. Nastic provided the perfect blend of structured academics and high-level football training.

His days became a regimented routine of morning sessions, classroom learning, mental coaching, and gym work.

“The routine keeps us sharp. It is intense, but it is what I have always dreamed of,” Kibet told The Standard in a previous interview.

In December 2023, Kibet returned to Kenya briefly for the Cecafa Championship and starred for the Rising Stars.

He emerged as top scorer with three goals and left fans at Bukhungu and Jomo Kenyatta stadiums awestruck. Though Kenya lost in the final to Uganda, his performance lit up the tournament.

Earlier this year, Kibet was named in Kenya’s final squad for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt, which offered the youngster a grand stage to showcase his talent.

While Kenya exited at the group stage, Kibet was among the bright sparks for Salim Babu’s side, scoring in a spirited but narrow 3-2 defeat to Morocco at the iconic 30 June Stadium in Cairo.

His composure, vision, and attacking flair caught the eyes of scouts, further solidifying his reputation as one of East Africa’s brightest young prospects.

La Liga side Celta Vigo, deep in a youth rebuild under manager Claudio Giráldez, had been watching. What they saw was a creative midfielder with vision, energy, and enormous potential.

If the deal is completed and he earns minutes in La Liga, he would become just the third Kenyan to play in Spain’s top flight after McDonald Mariga (Real Sociedad) and Michael Olunga (Girona).

Hailing from a region synonymous with athletics – like the legendary Paul Tergat and Mary Keitany – Kibet’s journey has always been bigger than football and is now rewriting history.