TODAY, the curtain finally comes down on the month-long 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a final between hosts Morocco and Senegal — the two top ranked teams in Africa.
Whoever takes the title home is a worthy winner considering the long and hard road the two teams had to travel until reaching the ultimate stage.
Bookmakers have placed the Atlas Lions of Morocco as favourites although there are many across the globe, who disagree.
Zimbabweans all over the country have different pickings on whom they want to win, but if we have to choose we would pick on Senegal because of the exciting type of football they have exhibited along the way.
Yes, Zimbabwe might have come back home early and for that matter empty handed, but the tournament brought with it some positives with regards to the future of our Warriors.
The manner in which Zimbabwe played but unfortunately lost out to Egypt and South Africa left no questions that the Warriors have a bright future — that is - if given the right environment.
What was crystal clear is that Zimbabwe has a strong if not great team for the future and what's left is for the right things and the right decisions to be made for that potential to be realised.
It was clear that the country has a lot of talented youngsters from where to build its new team while at the same time bidding farewell to the likes of Godknows Murwira, Teenage Hadebe, Knowledge Musona, Marvelous Nakamba, Washington Arubi and some of their aged friends.
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It was evidently clear that in Jonah Fabisch, Daniel Musendami, Tawanda Chirewa, Tawanda Maswanhise, Sean Fusire, Emmanuel Jalai, and Tadiwa Chakuchichi, the Warriors have the rocks from where the new Zimbabwean team should be built.
Not forgetting that Jordan Zemura and Marshall Munetsi were not part of the crop that went to Morocco, but remain vital cogs of the Warriors machine.
England based Zimbabwe football analyst Admire Muhimeke has no doubts about what the future holds for Zimbabwean football.
"It has been long since Zimbabwe had a lot of young and talented players at the same time like this. Given time together, and a lot of friendly matches, this team can go as far as the World Cup in 2030," Muhimeke predicted.
However, the first and most critical decision would be whether to keep Romanian Marian Marinica in his position as Warriors coach or that Zifa should let him go in favour of new hands.
Marinica received a lot of criticism for his team selection at Afcon, but we are of the opinion that the Romanian should stay on after exhibiting signs of tactical and technical aptitude.
We believe that he did not have enough time to know the Zimbabwean players better for Afcon 2025 but with more time on his side, we think, he can build a team we will be proud of.
We are of the opinion that his contract should run up to Afcon 2027, and if he fails then, he should be asked to pack his bags and leave to allow someone else to take over for World Cup 2030.
Our opinion is that Marinica's contract should also be subject to extension to 2030 on condition that he first qualifies Zimbabwe to Afcon 2027 and reaches the second round at the Afcon finals themselves.
Surely, the departure from Afcon 2025 should not mean a break for the Warriors but preparations for Afcon 2027 must begin now with a series of international friendly matches.
The Warriors' show against the Pharaohs and the Bafana Bafana was enough to demand respect across the globe and as such the team will be able to attract teams with big names in those friendlies.
That Nqobile Magwizi and friends could convince World Cup bound Algeria and Qatar to play friendlies against Zimbabwe shows that we are capable of attracting even bigger names in our warm up matches.
However, Afcon 2027 and a second round slot should not be our ultimate target but the 2030 World Cup and now is the time to build a team — which with time -- will be strong enough to challenge for a slot at the next World Cup edition.
With nine African teams now going to the World Cup, qualification for places is no longer as tough as it used to be and Zimbabwe could be one of Africa's representatives in 2030.
If Cape Verde, — a nation of less than a million people - could do it, why can't we also do it?
However, to make our dream a reality, preparations for Afcon 2027 and World Cup 2030 must begin now and not later.
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