Fortune Bhinzi’s Warriors dream
WHEN Manica Diamonds top man, Fortune Bhinzi shot to the top of the Premier Soccer League goal scoring charts early this year, Zimbabwe was not part of the global football playing nations.
Zimbabwe was suspended by football’s world governing body, FIFA, in February 2022 over Government’s interference in Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA)’s administration of the game — a ban that applied to all national teams and the country’s clubs at the continental level, including women and youth teams.
While the ban was a huge blow in many ways, unlike players before them, for Bhinzi and his generation, it meant competing in domestic competitions only with little, if anything, to look forward to beyond the country’s boundaries.
Now that the ban has been lifted, local footballers and match officials have regained the right to participate in regional or global football competitions.
Accordingly, Bhinzi has featured for the Warriors in the two low key assignments that the national team has played for far, donning the coveted green and gold stripe for 45 minutes in the match against Namibia and went on to enjoy 55 minutes of game time in the match against Botswana.
Bhinzi said: “I am feeling so grateful to be called to the national team. For me, it is an honour.”
Just like any other player, Bhinzi feels it will be an achievement in his career if he manages to attract the attention of national team coaches and be part of the Warriors for a long time to come.
“Playing for the national team is something that every player looks forward to. I am no exception. I want to continue working hard and ensure that I earn my place in the national team for a long time to come,” said Bhinzi.
On the local scene, where he has found the target 10 times, one less than Bulawayo Chiefs’ Obriel Chirinda, Bhinzi said: “I cannot express my target for now, but I just want to work very hard to help my team win as many games as possible,” said the La Sakubva junior football product.
His coach, Jairos Tapera takes the national team call up for his players as a recognition of the good work they are undertaking, not as individuals, but as a club.
“We thank God, his teammates and the technical team for working so hard to have three players being called for national duty. These include Fortune Bhinzi, Farai Banda and Trevor Mavhunga,” said Tapera.
Such are the early benefits trickling in after the lifting of the FIFA ban that the nation looks forward to a better future of inclusivity for all its sportsmen and women.
And just as Lincoln Mutasa, chairman of the Zifa Normalisation Committee, mandated by FIFA to hold elections for the Zimbabwe Football Association and investigate the sexual abuse and corruption allegations, put it, the ban was a painful experience.
“It was hurting, not only the sports people, but ourselves, all the sports parents,” he said.
“You put so many hours to try get your kid to excel in a sport, when this doesn’t happen or when this is frustrated, it’s a big mountain to climb. So, I am really delighted for all parties involved for finding each other.”