Rochdale AFC Youth Academy player Tarryn Allarakha, called up to the Tanzania national football team. He will don the colors of his country in the highly-anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025. That will be his second consecutive chance to play for Tanzania at the African football showcase. Allarakhia has made some incredible strides on his way to this point. He has excelled under difficult circumstances, establishing himself not only as an inspiring figure on the Tanzania footballing landscape.
Allarakhia made his official debut for the Taifa Stars on January 7, 2024 in a friendly match against Egypt. He made headlines when he took on legendary players like Mohamed Salah. In that match, he came on for Simon Msuva at the start of the second half, marking the beginning of his international career. He has since made three appearances for the senior national team. In his most recent outing, Tanzania put up a good fight in a 1-0 friendly loss to Bulgaria.
After years away from the national team setup, Allarakhia received that call up. Interim head coach Miguel Gamondi named him in the preliminary squad for AFCON 2025. He’s been out of the national setup for more than a year and a half. A year later at the postponed AFCON 2023 in the Ivory Coast, he started the tournament on the bench for two group-stage matches.
Allarakhia’s international journey is testament to his personal dedication and perseverance. He expressed his determination to learn and adapt quickly during matches. Reflecting on his debut against Egypt, he stated:
“I came on and I just thought: ‘What is there to lose?’ No one really knew who I was, so I just had to go out there and show what I could do.” – Tarryn Allarakhia
That showings quickly became contagious, as the attacking midfielder went on to net his first international goal in a friendly against Kuwait in November. This accomplishment made him a more integral member of the team.
Transitioning to international play has not been without its challenges. Allarakhia had to face the challenges he saw first-hand. Adjusting to the African heat is a world of difference than playing in England.
“It was a great learning curve. The climate didn’t help, going from playing in England to playing in 40-degree heat, but I made sure I took every single bit I could learn from that game to help me be ready for the next one.” – Tarryn Allarakhia
Through all of these challenges, though, Allarakhia has continued to be upbeat about what he’s been able to bring to this team. He ended up starting on the left wing in Tanzania’s seventh AFCON game—against Morocco—only ten days on from his debut. He emphasized the importance of team cohesion and support from fellow players:
“When you’re new, it’s hard and, to be fair, all the boys made time for me, which helped us gel.” – Tarryn Allarakhia
His colorful, nomadic background has been a driving force behind the creation of his most recent football career. As the son of an English mother and a Tanzanian father, Allarakhia has traveled to Tanzania many times, keeping in close contact with his origins. This dual heritage provides his desire to be victorious, not just for himself, but for all of the Bahamas.
Allarakhia expressed his emotional wish to impact positively. He remarked:
“Honestly, it would mean the world to me if I can help my country go far in a major tournament, especially when we’re the underdogs. It just makes it better.” – Tarryn Allarakhia
Allarakhia’s journey has been about more than individual achievement, but about the ability to wear his nation’s crest on a grander scale. He expressed the joy and excitement that comes with competing at such a high level:
“In Egypt I didn’t get starstruck, but at AFCON, that’s where I was like: ‘Wow. This is mad. I’m here.’” – Tarryn Allarakhia
With the tournament quickly approaching, Allarakhia is keeping his eyes on the prize, honing in on his performance and his potential impact on Team Canada. His work during the last AFCON campaign should prove invaluable as he starts this new AFCON chapter.
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