Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A DECADE-LONG mystery hangs over Zimbabwe’s Premier Soccer League: Why do many of its Most Promising Player award winners vanish into obscurity?
At the heart of Zimbabwe’s defence at the COSAFA Cup in Bloemfontein, South Africa, which ends today, stood 20-year-old Allan Chapinduka. He was calm, commanding and full of hope.
But if history is anything to go by, hope has not always been enough.
Chapinduka and his defensive partner at the COSAFA Cup, Andrew Mbeba, share more than just the Warriors’ colours.
Both were once hailed as the future of Zimbabwean football, with the prestigious Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Most Promising Player of the Year award to their names — Mbeba in 2019, and Chapinduka just last season.
Yet, as the dust settles on their careers so far, it is clear that promise has often gone unfulfilled.
Mbeba, now 25, remains with Highlanders, the same club that nurtured him.
Despite flashes of brilliance and appearances in Zimbabwe’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the foreign move many expected has yet to materialise.
He is not alone.
Tatenda Tumba burst onto the scene in 2018 with dazzling footwork and a fearless approach for Harare City.
His small frame belied a big game, and his Most Promising Player accolade felt inevitable.
Fast forward to 2025: Harare City is now languishing in the lower divisions, and Tumba’s once blazing trail has all but faded.
Then came Jayden Barake, the Glen Norah-born striker who lit up the 2021/2022 season with nine goals for Whawha.
His performances sparked a tug of war between local giants Dynamos and Highlanders, with headlines dubbing him a “teenage sensation”.
But that spark, too, seems to have dimmed.
Now 22, Barake has played for both Dynamos and CAPS United, but never hit double digits.
Elton Chikona, who took the award in 2023, has become an afterthought. Dynamos have only managed four goals in 14 matches this term, and Chikona has spent most of it on the sidelines.
With such a track record, the attention on Chapinduka appears more intense than ever, but the young centre back appears unfazed.
“COSAFA is a perfect stage for locally based players to showcase their talent in front of international scouts and coaches,” Chapinduka told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“So, I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.”
A product of the esteemed Aces Youth Soccer Academy, Chapinduka has already earned seven starts for TelOne this season.
He is also learning from seasoned professionals like Frank Makarati and Tafadzwa Jaravani.
“If you have a player like Frank (Makarati) by your side, then you know you are safe,” he said.
His rise has been swift.
After featuring for the Under-20 national team last year, Chapinduka hopes to continue soaring.
He credits his progress to coach Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa, who took a leap of faith on him at Harare City and brought him to TelOne last year.
“I had a very good game at the Four Nations Under-20 tournament and luckily, our fitness trainer was from Harare City, where coach Maruwa was employed,” Chapinduka explained.
“I was invited to train with Harare City soon after that tournament. When coach Maruwa moved to TelOne, I became one of his first signings.”
Chapinduka continues to draw strength from that trust.
“Maruwa gave me the confidence; he told me to be strong,” he said. “He threw me into the deep end, even when he had not seen me play a competitive game.
“So, I will keep working hard so that I do not disappoint. We are working hard as a team. We want to thank the coach for the progress we have made so far.”
But in Zimbabwean football, promise has too often turned into a ghost story.
