Kenyan defender Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma is reported to be the subject of a Ksh227m bid from FK Astana but he would not be here had he allowed his humble background to weigh him down.
Harambee Stars defender Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma has reportedly been the subject of a €1.7 million (Ksh227 million) transfer bid from Kazakhstan giants FK Astana.
Ouma is reported to have attracted the interest of Astana, who had submitted the bid to his club Rakow Czestochowa, but the Polish side have reportedly rejected it, demanding €2.5 million (Ksh334 million) instead.
It is not known if Astana will return with an improved bid for the left-back but the interest shows how highly-rated the player is. However, Ouma would perhaps not be making such headlines or even living the dream had he allowed his circumstances to weigh him down.
Playing barefoot in Kibera slums
Ouma grew up in Kibera slums where poverty was his second name but ended up studying at the prestigious Kakamega School through a scholarship, thanks to his football talents.
As a young boy, Ouma would play barefoot on dusty grounds for Future FC in Kibera and never imagined he would be playing on well-manicured pitches in Europe one day.
Harambee Stars full-back Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma has been the subject of a bumper offer from a European team but his Polish club has turned it down, demanding a higher fee.
“I stayed in Kibera for over 19 years and the hustle was real but I had to defy all the odds to become what I wanted to be in life. We lacked a lot of basic materials and good facilities but we had to use what we had to achieve our dreams,” Ouma told the Standard in 2020 soon after joining Swedish club AIK.
“My parents did everything but due to our financial state, they couldn’t buy me everything I wanted. We didn’t have boots, uniforms and cones. I played barefoot for nearly three years before I got some completely shredded boots. That didn’t stop us from playing, we were driven by passion for football and even used stones as cones.”
Ouma is, however, thankful that he had the right people around him, with his coach at Future FC Benjamin Kipruto advising him to take football seriously as it could get him and his family out of poverty, a prophecy that came to be true.
Scholarship at Kakamega School
It was his stint at Kakamega School that laid the foundation for the full-back’s career, having joined the school on the recommendation of former Kenyan international Nicholas Muyoti.
Ouma joined the school in 2011 and by the time he was completing in 2014, he had made a name for himself after shining at various events, including that year’s national school games, which saw Kakamega win the title and qualify for the FKF Division One.
The player would join Gor Mahia in 2016, playing for one season after which he left for Kolkheti Poti of Georgia.
Ouma says he had to bid his time at Gor Mahia, having previously signed a six-month deal, opting to extend until the end of the season, after which he moved to Georgia which offered him a whole new experience.
Almost quitting football
“I had a culture shock when I moved to Georgia; the food, language, and the general lifestyle but I think it was a good experience because it taught me a lot of things like being independent,” he added.
However, that spell in Georgia proved to be one of the hardest in the defender’s career as he had to battle recurrent injuries, setbacks that saw him even contemplate quitting.
“I got fed up with the third injury to the extent that I wanted to give up. It affected me both mentally and physically because I couldn’t do what I loved most. I was in so much pain that I never saw myself kicking the ball again. I almost quit playing football but I had to think about my background and all those people who considered me their hero,” he said.
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To Sweden & now attracting Ksh227m bid
Having survived that tough spell, Ouma would move to KS Kastrioti of Albania in February 2018 but six months later, he was playing for Swedish club Vasalund. It is while here that he impressed and by 2020, 12-time Swedish champions AIK came calling.
Ouma made 104 appearances for the side, scoring four goals while providing 15 assists and after an impressive four-year stint, he was sold to Rakow Czestochowa for a reported €700,000 (Ksh94 million) in January 2024.
He has made 18 appearances in all competitions for Rakow Czestochowa this season, scoring one goal, and providing three assists, while he featured 12 times for the club in 2023-24 and it appears the Polish club have a battle on their hands to keep him following the now rejected €1.7 million (Ksh227 million).
For a player who came from what is considered Africa’s largest slum, this has been some rise for a man nicknamed Marcelo, due to his admiration for and playing style similar to that of the Brazil and Real Madrid legend.
