Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere
THEY’VE been bruised, battered, and even banished from the game, but when it comes to the Cosafa Cup, Zimbabwe’s Warriors remain true kings of the southern jungle!
With a record six titles under their belt, the Warriors are no strangers to glory in the regional football festival.
Their last roar came in 2018, when legendary coach Sunday “Madziva” Chidzambwa lifted the title for a record fourth time, masterminding a thrilling 4-2 victory over Zambia in the final.
That win was a follow-up to the 2017 blitz, when the Warriors had once again tamed Chipolopolo 3-1, proving back-to-back dominance. But 2019 brought heartbreak, a weakened squad stumbled in the semi-finals, and Zambia bit back. Zimbabwe settled for third place.
Since then, the Warriors have been on a rocky ride. They crashed out in the group stages in 2021, and missed the 2023 edition altogether due to the FIFA ban. Still, the legend of their past dominance refuses to fade.
Their golden run began in 2000 when they finally broke the curse and thrashed Lesotho to lift their first Cosafa title.
From then on, they racked up wins in 2003 (vs Malawi), 2005 (vs Zambia), 2009 (hosted in Harare and Bulawayo), and those memorable 2017 and 2018 conquests.
Zambia has been their fiercest rival, with the two sides colliding in multiple finals, trading blows and bragging rights. Whether winning 3-1 at home or falling 2-0 in enemy territory, the battle between these two giants always brings fireworks.
Here’s the cold, hard truth: no other team in the Cosafa region has a better record. Even during their dry spells, like the first-round exits in 2015 and 2016, the Warriors’ reputation as Southern Africa’s football giants remained untouchable.
And let’s not forget their bigger stage moves, AFCON appearances in 2004 and 2006, and Dynamos’ legendary run to the CAF Champions League final in 1998.
The flame may have flickered, but the fire is far from out. As Zimbabwe prepares for a football rebirth post-suspension, don’t count out the Warriors just yet, because history shows, when they roar, the whole region listens!
TOURNAMENT FINISHES SNAPSHOT:
Winners: 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018
Runners-up: 1998, 2001, 2013
Group Stage Knockouts: 1997, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2021
Missed: 2023
