Football reunites families

Bruce Chikuni 

Sports Reporter

IT has taken football to wield its pulling power once again, but this time, the game helped reveal a hidden family secret that would change the lives of the Warriors duo of Jordan Zemura and Douglas Mapfumo.

The meeting began when Polokwane City forward Mapfumo received his first call-up to the Warriors squad for the World Cup qualifiers in June. 

As Mapfumo’s father, Victor, celebrated his son’s milestone, he noticed a familiar name on the Warriors squad list — Jordan Zemura. 

Intrigued, Victor reached out to Zemura’s mother, Sharon, to confirm what turned out to be a long-forgotten family connection. 

And, as fate would have it, the two families were indeed related, with Zemura’s grandfather, Reuben, and Mapfumo’s late grandfather, Douglas, being cousins. 

Douglas inherited his name from his grandfather. 

The relationship between the two families had become distant after the passing on of Mapfumo’s grandfather. 

However, football gave them “a kiss of life”, reuniting them in the most unexpected fashions. 

Although Mapfumo was still grappling with the news, he expressed joy and gratitude at having to link up with his relative.

He told Zimpapers Sports hub how it took time for the reality to sink into him. 

“I couldn’t process the joy when I found out I was related to Jordan because he is where every Zimbabwean player wants to be,” said Mapfumo. 

“We are now communicating frequently, and it’s amazing to reconnect with our family heritage and we talk more than 10 times a week, something which has boosted my selfie esteem. 

“He is always encouraging me to push hard and it is very important to me to have someone, who is playing at that level wishing me well.” 

Since finding out about their relationship, Zemura and Mapfumo became virtually inseparable with the cousins inspiring their families to also reconnect. 

The distance and disconnect of the past were replaced with joy and excitement, as Zemura, who plies his trade with Italian Serie A side Udinese and Mapfumo of South African Premiership outfit, are now more than just team-mates in the Warriors camp. 

Their shared passion for football has ignited a new found sense of pride and unity between the two families. 

Mapfumo is one of the few players Zimbabwean players still featuring in the South African top-flight. 

He now credits football for reuniting him with his long-lost extended family. 

The bustling striker joined the now-collapsed Cape Umoya United from the country’s leading youth development institution — Legends Football Academy. 

“Football has given me so much more than I ever imagined. 

“It has brought me closer to my roots and my family. I’m forever grateful for this incredible journey,” Mapfumo said. 

With the Warriors scheduled to begin their quest for a place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with back-to-back qualifiers against Kenya and Cameroon in Uganda, Mapfumo and Zemura will be relishing another opportunity to link up in the senior team. Their story serves as a testament to the power of football to unite, inspire, and transcend boundaries.