Former Harambee Stars Coach Engin Firat Dies After Heart Attack

Former Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has died at the age of 55 after suffering a heart attack while travelling in Turkey.

The Turkish tactician’s Lebanese club Nejmeh SC confirmed his death in a statement posted on its official social media channels, revealing that Firat collapsed suddenly at Istanbul Airport.

According to the club, the former Kenya national team coach was travelling from Beirut and had just landed in Istanbul on his way to Adana when he suffered the fatal heart attack.

“With great sadness and sorrow, Star Athletic Club mourns first team coach Captain Engin Firat,” Nejmeh SC said in a statement.

The club added that Firat left a strong impression during his short time with the team.

“During the time he spent with the club, the deceased was known for his professional commitment and high ethics, and he left a good impression among the team and the members of the Nejmeh family,” the statement continued.

Firat had only recently taken charge of the Lebanese side, having been appointed head coach on February 9, 2026, meaning he had spent just over a month with the club before his sudden passing.

The experienced coach was well known in Kenya after serving as head coach of Harambee Stars between October 2021 and December 2024.

He took over the national team during a challenging period for Kenyan football and remained in charge until shortly after the election of new Football Kenya Federation leadership led by president Hussein Mohammed.

During his tenure, Firat oversaw approximately 23 matches for Harambee Stars, recording seven wins, seven draws and nine defeats. Several of those victories came in international friendlies as he attempted to rebuild the squad.

One of the highlights of his time with the national team came in March 2024 when Kenya won the Four Nations Tournament held in Malawi. Harambee Stars defeated the hosts Malawi 4-0 before overcoming Zimbabwe 3-1 in the final to lift the trophy.

Despite that achievement, Firat was unable to guide Kenya to qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations during his time in charge. His tenure also coincided with a difficult period when the national team was forced to play home matches outside the country due to the lack of FIFA-approved stadiums in Kenya.

Firat was also known for his outspoken personality and occasionally sparked debate with his blunt comments about the state of football in Kenya.

At one point, he caused controversy when he suggested that football was not respected enough in the country.

“Kenya is a country where they don’t know anything about football, so in that sense they don’t respect it enough,” he once remarked during his time as Harambee Stars coach.

At the time of his death, Firat still had three Kenyan players in his squad at Nejmeh SC — Austin Odhiambo, Masoud Juma and Anthony Akumu. Akumu, in particular, had been one of Firat’s most trusted players during his time with the national team.

The three Kenyan players had recently been allowed to return home following rising tensions in the Middle East.

Following Firat’s departure from the Harambee Stars job, reports also emerged that he was owed unpaid salaries by the Football Kenya Federation, although the exact amount was never publicly confirmed.

Firat’s death marks the sudden loss of a coach who had a significant connection with Kenyan football and leaves the football community mourning a familiar figure who once guided the national team through a challenging period.