Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Club
A FOOTBALL list that includes Peter Ndlovu, Benjani Mwaruwari, Norman Mapeza, Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda, Tinashe Nengomasha, Joel Luphahla and Zenzo Moyo would be a captivating cast.
All seven legends of the domestic game featured prominently for Zimbabwe’s national team.
Ndlovu captained the Warriors at the historic 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia, in what was Zimbabwe’s first dance with the continent’s flagship football competition.
Ndlovu, Sibanda, Nengomasha and Luphahla also featured, with the latter scoring a memorable solo goal when Zimbabwe stunned Algeria 2-1 in their last group game.
Mwaruwari led Zimbabwe at the 2006 AFCON finals, Moyo starred for the Warriors in the 2000s, while Mapeza was also a national team captain, who also played UEFA Champions League football with Turkish giants Galatasaray in the mid-1990s.
Interestingly, those high-profile figures are all back in the local top-flight league, serving different clubs in different capacities and, crucially, adding more excitement in the build-up to the 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
While Mapeza, Mwaruwari and Luphahla are coaching at Scottland, Highlanders and FC Platinum, respectively, more ex-Warriors stars have also taken up posts as team managers.
The legendary Ndlovu, the first African to play in the English Premier League, is in charge of player welfare issues at champions Scottland.
Sibanda runs the same office at Harare giants Dynamos while Moyo was recently unveiled as Bosso team manager.
Nengomasha, an iconic figure at Kaizer Chiefs, having served the Soweto giants with distinction, is now the team manager at CAPS United.
It is a development that is exciting Moyo, the former Bosso striker who also played professional football in Cyprus and Greece.
He elected to use President Mnangagwa’s famous statement, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”, in a bid to explain what he believes is an exciting revolution sweeping across the domestic Premiership.
A multiple championship winner with Highlanders, Moyo has bounced back at Bosso as team manager, exactly 26 years after scooping the Soccer Star of the Year award in the famous black and white strip.
Moyo is one of several former national team players now managing or coaching in the Premier Soccer League.
“Sometimes we underestimate what is happening in local football.
“There’s a real transformation of the Castle Lager PSL, especially with the return to the scene of some football legends,” Moyo told Zimpapers Sports Hub.
“Who would have thought the league would one day have the likes of Benjani (Mwaruwari), the man who played top, top football at Manchester City, Ndlovu the legend and Gidiza (Sibanda) all involved in the local Premiership.
“It’s good for the league to also have names like Tonderai Ndiraya, Genesis Mangombe, and Herbert Maruwa showing they can do it.
“Just like President Mnangagwa always says, nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, and the league is now being built by vene vayo.
“It’s us former footballers who have the duty to build our football,” added Moyo, winner of the league championship medal with Highlanders in 2006. Ironically, it was the last time that Highlanders, who turn 100 years this year, won the Premiership title.
Moyo who will be hoping to win the title but from the backroom this time, also saluted the local businessmen who have bankrolled the Premiership clubs.
