His word on Scottland coming true: Football prophecy or fanaticism?

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
YOU have eyes, but you do not see, you have ears, but you do not hear – Scotland FC are 2025 CHAMPIONS!
The verse is a metaphorical description of spiritual blindness and heedlessness. It means that while people have the physical organs, they lack the inner comprehension to understand the signs of God, to see the truth, and hear the divine message.
Borrowed from a classic riddle and a famous line from religious texts, most famously from the Bible (Jeremiah 5:21) and the Quran (Surah Al-A’raf 7:179), a friend of the game of football, Malvin Makarawu, better known in local football circles as Chibaba CheScottland or simply Schneider, used this line from Castle Lager Premier Soccer League MatchDay Five up to this day.
Back then, when he started running with this line, Scottland FC owner, Scott Sakupwanya, said his club was not eyeing to win the league title this season, despite the huge amount of investment made.
The Mabvuku side was the busiest team on the pre-season transfer market, as it bought top-rated players in the top-flight league, but its owner maintained that a top five finish would be satisfying, and winning the league would be a bonus.
But somehow, Makarawu had already believed that Scottland FC were destined to win the league in their debut top-flight league season.
Makarawu said: “It started around the end of March. I walked with two mantras – Zadza ground and Scottland FC are 2025 CHAMPIONS. I just had that feeling that this team will win the league title, and I am happy that my words are slowly, but surely coming true.”
As of early October this month, Scottland FC led the league standings with 59 points, four points ahead of their closest rival, Simba Bhora.
They achieved this with four rounds of matches remaining.
Capitalising on rivals’ slip-ups, Scottland FC benefited from a lapse in form by defending champions, Simba Bhora, who lost a match in late September, allowing Scottland FC to seize control of the title race.
The club is now poised for a historic debut.
Evidently, the team’s successful campaign in their first-ever top-flight season has captivated local football fans.
However, it is Makarawu’s passionate way of supporting the game of football that has captured the imagination of many who follow the game in Mutare and beyond.
Apart from his love for Scottland FC, Makarawu has also supported different sporting events, such as the recent Minister of State of Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution’s tournament, as well as local clubs like Manica Diamonds, with his Zadza Ground mantra.
Makarawu said: “This is something that I enjoy doing. I have met most of my expenses, including printing of regalia as well as posters.”
The Mabviravira impressive run has captured the imagination of fans across the country, with the team now fully focused on the final stretch of what could be a fairytale ending.
That script will be sweet music for their gaffer, Tonderai Ndiraya, who is itching to go down in history as a coach who managed to win back-to-back championships with different Premier League clubs.
Ndiraya recently told the media: “Why aren’t we gunning for it, especially with the win and the depth in our squad? We have quality players. We have said it, it is not in our hands, but we will be waiting to pounce on the sidelines.”