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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
IN AN interview with Sunday Life just before he flew off to France for a Copa Coca-Cola international training camp at the end of June, aspiring footballer Tafadzwa Dhliwayo vowed to showcase his talent on the international stage and lived up to that promise.
Dhliwayo took the Most Valuable Player award at the training camp where he managed to find the target three times in five outings for Team Tolouse which has allowed the youngster from Makokoba to dream big.
In an interview on Thursday, two days after arriving from France, Dhliwayo, a Form Three pupil at Gifford High School says he yearns to go overseas and pursue his football career as well as further his studies.
The 15-year-old was described by Paris Saint-Germain Academy head coach Diedier Manila as one of the best talents at the camp. Manila praised Dhliwayo for his positioning when he has the ball and when not in possession. The youngster’s dribbling skills also impressed the French coach.
“His positioning on and off the ball is brilliant. He works so hard such that he makes other players look good. He reads the game well, a midfielder who defends, attacks and scores. He scored one of the most brilliant goals in the tournament from a dead ball. He is technically a good holder of the ball and his small frame is deceiving. He needs to train hard.’’ said Manila.
“We agreed to make him the most valuable player of the 2016 Copa Coca-Cola International camp tournament as he has the best fit for a PSG Football club values. He has interest for the team, above his. He is a brilliant player but thinks of others and team first . . . He is a good dribbler but has no time to dribble the whole pitch,’’ added Manila.
Dhliwayo’s Team Tolouse went as far as the semi-finals in an eight-team tournament which had each side made up of 10 players. They went down 2-1 to eventual tournament winners Team Denis who overcame Team Lille 5-3 on penalties in the final.
Out of the 79 males and a female, Dhliwayo stood out and received a golden trophy for his exploits. Dhliwayo is used by his coach at Gifford Nathan Tshuma as an attacking midfielder, however, in France he was thrown in as anchorman and settled well in that role. His teammates were from Algeria, Egypt, Ukraine, Tunisia and Germany.
“I feel delighted because it was my first time to go to France and I went there and showed them what I am made of. I played as an anchorman; I played five matches and scored three goals. I learnt to be disciplined and to listen to our coaches whatever they tell us we must do it,’’ said Dhliwayo.
“I can go overseas to countries such as England, Germany and Spain with my type of play. Now that I have gone overseas for the first time I want to go and live there, play football and further my studies.’’
With news of him going to France awash in newspapers and on television, he believes that almost everyone in Makokoba knows that he was overseas.
His family has encouraged him to strike a balance between his studies and his football. Describing himself as an average pupil, Dhliwayo revealed that he is good at History and Geography with his aim to pass at least seven subjects at Ordinary level next year, something that can increase his chances of getting a football related scholarship outside the country.
The lads at the camp were part of the crowd which watched France demolish Iceland 5-2 in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals last Sunday. Dhliwayo described Paris Day as the most favourite part of the trip where the participants visited famous buildings in the French capital and also made a tour to the iconic Eiffel Tower.
Dhliwayo travelled to France with goalkeeper Jona Moyo of Guinea Fowl.
They were accompanied to the French capital by Coca-Cola Zimbabwe market activation manager Vee Chibanda.
The boy from Makokoba seems to have a knack for picking up individual accolades.
After losing out to Prince Milanzi of Dewure for the Copa Coca-Cola national finals held in Bulawayo last year, Dhliwayo went on to collect the Team Player of the Tournament accolade at a regional camp staged in Pretoria, South Africa. Before that, he had picked up the best player award in the Dumisani Ndlovu Foundation sponsored four-team schools league.
Unfortunately due to National Association of Secondary Heads regulations, Dhliwayo cannot participate in this year’s Copa Coca-Cola or any Nash organised competition. He continues to train with the Gifford Under-17 team and with his club Makokoba Real Stars where he plays for the Under-18 side.
Dhliwayo’s latest achievement is sure to continue to serve as motivation to other youngsters taking part in this year’s Copa Coca-Cola whose national finals are set for Gwanda from 22 to 24 July. From there a Dream Team is chosen by journalists covering the tournament with those selected sent to South Africa for a regional camp.
Online Reporter