Online Reporter
Reginald Chirenje
Youth Interactive Correspondent
For 16-year-old Ryan Butawu, the dream is simple but enormous — one day he wants to pull on the Zimbabwe national team jersey and hear his country’s name called on football’s biggest stages.
That dream began far from the bright lights of international stadiums, on the football pitches of Chitungwiza’s Unit N Extension, where a young Ryan first discovered that a ball at his feet could become more than childhood fun.
“I have always wanted to become a professional footballer and represent Zimbabwe,” Ryan says. “I know it will not be easy, but I am prepared to work hard and keep learning.”
His journey started at Tamuka Primary School when he was just eight. Like many children his age, he played football for fun with friends. But there was something different about Ryan. The game quickly became an obsession, and he soon realised he wanted to take his talent seriously.
He joined Nuggets, a club competing in the Chitungwiza Junior Football Development League, where he spent six years learning the foundations of the game.
Those formative years taught him that football was not simply about scoring goals or showing off individual skills.
“It taught me discipline and how important teamwork is,” he says. “You can have talent, but if you do not work hard and listen to your coaches, you will not improve.”
His next major step came when he joined JB8 Foundation Football Academy, another Chitungwiza Junior Football Development League side.
At JB8, the attacking midfielder began to mature not only as a player but also as a leader. He was entrusted with captaincy responsibilities for the Under-14 and Under-15 teams — an indication of the confidence his coaches and teammates had in him.
For Ryan, leadership became another part of his football education. “As a captain, you have to think about the whole team, not just yourself,” he says. “I learnt to encourage my teammates, communicate with them and remain positive even when things were not going our way.”
His performances soon began attracting individual recognition.
In 2024, he was named his club’s Soccer Star of the Year. A year later, he was recognised as the Most Improved Player in the Chitungwiza Province Under-18 selection. The achievement was particularly significant because Ryan was competing against older players.
His performances at a soccer festival at Seke 4 High School also caught the attention of scouts, eventually contributing to an opportunity that would change another important part of his life — education.
In 2025, Ryan was among young players awarded scholarships to continue his studies at Oriel Boys High School.
For the teenager, the scholarship represented more than an academic opportunity.
“It meant a lot to me because I know education is important,” he says. “I want to do well at school while also becoming a better footballer.”
Today, Ryan is juggling classroom responsibilities with training and competitive football at JB8 Foundation. It is a demanding routine for a teenager, but one he embraces.
His coaches and family remain important pillars in the journey, providing encouragement as he navigates the pressures of school and sport.
“My parents, family and coaches have supported me a lot,” Ryan says. “Their support gives me confidence and motivates me to continue working hard.”
His ambitions extend beyond Zimbabwe. Ryan dreams of playing professional football abroad, particularly in Scotland, while ultimately earning a place in the national team.
“I want to wear the Zimbabwe jersey,” he says. “That would be a very proud moment for me and my family.”
For now, however, the dream remains a work in progress. Every training session, every lesson and every match represents another step towards it.
Ryan’s story is a reminder that football dreams do not always begin in famous academies or glamorous stadiums. Sometimes they start in ordinary neighbourhoods, with a young boy chasing a ball and imagining a future much bigger than his surroundings.
At just 16, the boy from Unit N Extension is still at the beginning. But he is already running towards his dream — one training session, one match and one opportunity at a time.
