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Patrick Matasi opens up about heartbreaking online abuse, including a fan's death wish, following national team struggles.
On the afternoon of June 1, 2021, Kenya Police FC goalkeeper Patrick Matasi was involved in a harrowing road accident that left his car mangled and his family shaken.
Traveling with two family members, Matasi’s Mazda Demio veered off the road while en route from Western Kenya to Nairobi.
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Though the car was written off, Matasi and his family escaped with minor injuries, a stroke of luck he considered a second chance at life.
Little did he know that just three years later, his life would be marred by a different kind of torment—online abuse so vicious that one fan would wish the accident had claimed his family.
The 36-year-old former St George of Ethiopia custodian recently opened up about the relentless attacks he has endured since Kenya’s tumultuous campaign in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
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Matasi found himself at the center of controversy after conceding four goals in a game against Cameroon.
“It wasn’t good because for me, letting in the four goals hurt. But I took it positively,” Matasi shared as per Flashscore.
“I told the coach, ‘You have already tarnished my career through this game, I am okay.’”
The goalkeeper believed the decisions of Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat were deliberately aimed at sidelining him.
“I knew what Kenyans would say. They would abuse me, they would abuse my family. Until one fan came to my timeline and told me how he wished the accident I got in 2021 would have killed my family.”
The weight of that comment lingers. For Matasi, it was not just an insult—it was a cruel reminder of a near-tragic moment in his life.
“It’s one thing to criticize a player for their performance, but to wish death upon their family is beyond comprehension. I didn’t respond; I just read it and moved on. What could I say? Words like that stick," the keeper said in a separate interview.
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Matasi’s fallout with Firat has only fueled the scrutiny. Omitted from crucial fixtures, including those against Zimbabwe and Namibia, the veteran goalkeeper feels his career has been unfairly derailed.
“This season, we had played eight matches, scored eight goals, and conceded only two before the game against Zimbabwe,” he noted.
“I don’t know why I was dropped. But I told him (Firat), ‘My head is up, and when I go back to my club, I will perform.’”
The abuse has not just come in the form of public comments.
Matasi revealed that his private messages are often inundated with hateful remarks.
“I don’t manage my Facebook page; someone else handles it, so I see mostly the positive comments. But those who come to my inbox—those I deal with myself."
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Matasi credited his ability to withstand pressure to his early days as a player at AFC Leopards.
“When I started my career, I started at AFC Leopards, and you know the pressure of playing at AFC, so I can handle the pressure,” he said.
Through it all, Matasi has held his head high, determined to rise above the hate.
“At the end of the day, when I go back to the club, I will perform, and maybe when I am given another chance, I will come back to the national team.”
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