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Chirewa ready to shine in Afcon debut for Zimbabwe
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With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) just 48 hours away, Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Tawanda Chirewa is poised to make his tournament debut, carrying the hopes of a nation eager to see new talent shine on Africa's biggest football stage.
Born in Chelmsford, England, Chirewa has always felt a strong connection to his Zimbabwean roots. Raised in a household that embraced cultural traditions, the 22-year-old forward said representing the Warriors was an obvious choice.
"My name is Zimbabwean, it's not English, so that's where I feel like I belong," Chirewa told Wolves media ahead of his departure. "I grew up in quite an African household. I eat Zimbabwean food, I speak the language ... I knew straight away I wanted to play for Zimbabwe."
Chirewa's upbringing, infused with Zimbabwean music, cuisine, and cultural practices, shaped his identity and fueled his ambition to represent the country at the highest level. Since debuting for the Warriors in World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho, he has earned 11 caps and scored three goals, quickly establishing himself as a key attacking asset.
The Afcon campaign, however, will see him face the challenge of competing without the guidance of his mentor, club teammate, and national vice-captain Marshall Munetsi, who is sidelined due to injury.
"Marshall is just a great guy. He guides me every day, tells me to keep pushing," Chirewa said. "He's given me little insights on how Afcon will be. I am buzzing for it. I believe that we are going to shock a lot of countries."
Zimbabwe opens its Group B campaign against Egypt on December 22 in Agadir, followed by matches against Angola on December 26 and South Africa on December 29 in Marrakech. Coach Marian Marinica has set the target of reaching the knockout stages, a challenge Chirewa is ready to embrace.
"I want to be a great player for Zimbabwe, I want to be a legend for Zimbabwe," Chirewa added. "Afcon is a big step in that. I have seen me scoring, I have seen us winning and going through the group stage. It's exciting times ahead."
As the Warriors prepare for their opening clash, all eyes will be on Chirewa, a young talent ready to leave his mark and inspire a new generation of Zimbabwean footballers.
Born in Chelmsford, England, Chirewa has always felt a strong connection to his Zimbabwean roots. Raised in a household that embraced cultural traditions, the 22-year-old forward said representing the Warriors was an obvious choice.
"My name is Zimbabwean, it's not English, so that's where I feel like I belong," Chirewa told Wolves media ahead of his departure. "I grew up in quite an African household. I eat Zimbabwean food, I speak the language ... I knew straight away I wanted to play for Zimbabwe."
Chirewa's upbringing, infused with Zimbabwean music, cuisine, and cultural practices, shaped his identity and fueled his ambition to represent the country at the highest level. Since debuting for the Warriors in World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho, he has earned 11 caps and scored three goals, quickly establishing himself as a key attacking asset.
The Afcon campaign, however, will see him face the challenge of competing without the guidance of his mentor, club teammate, and national vice-captain Marshall Munetsi, who is sidelined due to injury.
"Marshall is just a great guy. He guides me every day, tells me to keep pushing," Chirewa said. "He's given me little insights on how Afcon will be. I am buzzing for it. I believe that we are going to shock a lot of countries."
Zimbabwe opens its Group B campaign against Egypt on December 22 in Agadir, followed by matches against Angola on December 26 and South Africa on December 29 in Marrakech. Coach Marian Marinica has set the target of reaching the knockout stages, a challenge Chirewa is ready to embrace.
"I want to be a great player for Zimbabwe, I want to be a legend for Zimbabwe," Chirewa added. "Afcon is a big step in that. I have seen me scoring, I have seen us winning and going through the group stage. It's exciting times ahead."
As the Warriors prepare for their opening clash, all eyes will be on Chirewa, a young talent ready to leave his mark and inspire a new generation of Zimbabwean footballers.
Source - The Independent
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