Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
TO Alexander Maseko, the Heroes Cup was never just another game. For the former Highlanders and Warriors defensive rock, it was an annual duty, one he carried with pride, shoulder to shoulder with legends of the struggle and the game.
As Zimbabwe prepares to honour its liberators next month, Maseko looks back at the tournament with reverence.
It was, he says, “an honour to play for something far bigger than football.”
He helped Highlanders lift the Heroes Cup in 1986, 1988, and 1990, building a proud legacy that matched his silverware at Bosso and later at Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa.
“Heroes Day was always a major event. We played in front of packed crowds, and it meant a lot to represent those who gave their lives for our freedom,” said Maseko.
Sometimes the matches were based on merit, with Highlanders earning their place by league standing. Other times, it was an invitation due to the club’s popularity.
“Either way, we always rose to the occasion,” he said.
“We’d often face Saints in the semi-final, then Dynamos or CAPS in the final.
“The fans came out in full force, those were massive games.”
For Bosso, the Heroes Cup was about more than pride. It was about belonging to the story of a people, of struggle and unity.
“There’s no such thing as a small Heroes Cup game. The fans made sure of that. We felt the responsibility every time we stepped on the pitch,” said Maseko.
He won the tournament in the 80s with Highlanders icons like Madinda Ndlovu, Douglas Mloyi, Willard Khumalo, Mercedes Sibanda, Douglas Mloyi, Tito Paketh, Amin Soma-phiri, Tobias Mudyambanje, Dumisani Nyoni, Dumisani Ngulube, Peter Nkomo, Fanuel Ncube, and Rahman Gumbo, then guided a new generation including Peter and Adam Ndlovu, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Gift Lunga Snr and Makheyi Nyathi to glory in 1990.
That year, Bosso achieved a stunning League and Cup double, crowning their dominance with another Heroes Cup title.
“Football brought people together. During the long holiday, sport was the centre of celebration. We knew our matches mattered.”
This year’s Heroes and Defence Forces days are expected to follow tradition, with fans from Bulawayo and beyond eagerly awaiting word on the football feast lined up to mark the occasion.
