Arnold Origi & Jamal Mohamed to sponsor off-season Kothbiro tournament

© Kothbiro.

FOOTBALL Arnold Origi & Jamal Mohamed to sponsor off-season Kothbiro tournament

Joel Omotto 11:06 - 09.08.2023

The former Harambee Stars players have pledged to help grow grassroots talent by offering various rewards at the tournament.

Former Harambee Stars players Jamal Mohamed and Arnold Origi will be part of the sponsors of the annual off-season Kothbiro tournament set to be launched on Friday 11 August.

Mohamed will offer cash rewards while Origi will be sponsoring the goalkeeper's award by giving out gloves and cash for the best keeper during the 2023 tournament which will be the 46th edition.

The tournament will have 32 teams participating with 25 having registered so far ahead of its launch on Friday.

“Kothbiro is a tournament I grew up watching and even played in. It gives the youth an opportunity to play football their own way,” Mohamed told the organisers.

“A lot of coaches come to spot talent and you will see good players playing football their way here. We saw players get spotted at this tournament before going for sides like Gor Mahia so I want to support grow talent and for me this is one way of giving back to the community.”

Mohamed, popularly known as Malo Malo, urged other ex-players to come on board and support grassroots talent.

“All those former players can support in whatever way. Be it football boots or cash to the boys so that they can also reach the levels they got to. I can assure you that this year, the runners-ups will not get what they got last year,” he added.

Kothbiro chairman Paul Ojenge said teams from Nairobi, Kajiado, and Kiambu counties have expressed interest and there will also be another one from Western Kenya for the first time in the tournament’s history.

The tournament, graced by current and former players, used to take place in December but was switched to align with the Football Kenya Federation calendar.

Gikomba-based Team Korogez claimed the 2022 tournament after beating Leeds United 4-2 on post-match penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.