Soccer Stars selection on Tuesday

Fungai Muderere

Zimpapers Sports Hub

CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League coaches, their captains and journalists are set to vote for the 2025 Soccer Stars of the Year next Tuesday.

The selection process, which will be done virtually and includes the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ), will see the panelists vote for the 11 players they think excelled in a season that will end on Sunday.

The Soccer Star of the Year, two runners-up, Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year as well as the Most Promising Player under the age of 20 will also be voted in, but their names will only be revealed at a banquet to be held in Harare on December 5.

The selection is most likely to be one of the toughest for the panel.

However, according to some local football enthusiasts and a sample done in the Zimpapers newsroom there are some favourites.

“I think Kevin Moyo, Andrew Mbeba and Emmanuel Jalai will be definitely be voted in. They did well for their respective clubs. I also reckon that Washington Navaya is an obvious candidate after doing well for TelOne. He is the leading top goal scorer with one game to go,” said Zimpapers Quality Editor Stanford Chiwanga.

His sentiments were echoed by Zimpapers Sports Hub reporter Innocent Kurira, who said:“Moyo, Navaya and Jalai all deserve to be voted for.”

UMthunywa social media co-ordinator Nkosilathi “Sbijo” Sibanda also had Moyo, his teammate Machope, Navaya and Mbeba as one of his main picks.

B Metro Social media co-ordinator Langelihle Mabhena also said the above-mentioned players are the main contenders for the calendar.

“It’s unfortunate that the local football season is coming to an end. However, Soccer Stars selectors should do justice by voting for the likes of Kevin Moyo, Emmanuel Jalai, Washington Navaya and Andrew Mbeba. Moyo, Jalai, Navaya and Mbeba, all showed that they are talented players,” said Mabena.

Walter Musona won the Soccer Star of the Year prize with Simba Bhora last season.

Lynoth Chikuhwa, then with Highlanders and now with Chicken Inn, was the Golden Boot Award winner after finishing last season as the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League top marksman with 17 goals to his name. The fans also had a vote in selecting their best player, picking Khama Billiat who was with Yadah Stars

Khama, who had an indifferent 2025 season, was also named the second runner-up in the Soccer Star of the Year.

Here is the full list of last year’s winners:

Most Disciplined Team of the Year: FC Platinum

Referee of the Year: Brighton Chimene

1st Runner up: Owen Manenda

2nd Runner up: Polite Dube

Golden Boot Award: Lynoth Chikuhwa

Coach of the Year: Tonderai Ndiraya

Most Promising Player of the Year:

Allan Chapinduka

Goalkeeper of the Year: Donovan Bernard

Fans’ Choice Award: Khama Billiat