mbulelo smpofu
Fungai Muderere, fungai.muderere@bmetro.co.zw
FINALLY, the day is here!
Tonight marks the 55th year since the first Soccer Star of the Year gong was handed out with George Shaya being crowned the best footballer in the domestic Premiership.
Walter Musona (Simba Bhora), Lynoth Chikuhwa (Highlanders) and Khama Billiat (Yadah) are among the players heavily tipped to succeed Qadr Amini who was crowned Soccer Star of the Year in 2023 following a stellar performance in Ngezi Platinum Stars colours.
Musona, a Soccer Star of the Year in 2022, helped Simba Bhora clinch this season’s league championship. He found the back of the net ten times.
Chikuhwa had a good season in Highlanders colours scoring a massive 17 goals to claim the league’s Golden Boot Award.
After a return from South Africa’s Super Diski, Billiat helped Yadah Stars survive relegation with a game to spare.
To many it was largely due to Billiat’s impressive contribution of 13 goals, the second best individual tally in the league, and 11 assists, in his 26 appearances.
Billiat arrived from South Africa down on morale after a disappointing stint at Kaizer Chiefs and set the stage alight for Yadah where he was the standout player all season. He showed that class is permanent with brilliant touches, runs and immaculate goals that separated him from the average players around him.
He also put up some good performances for his country as Zimbabwe qualified for the 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco by being ever present in Warriors coach Michael Nees’ starting lineup.
The 11 players who lit up the scene for the recently ended season were selected by a panel of journalists, club coaches and captains.
The panellists also voted for the Coach Of The Year, Rookie Of The Year and Goalkeeper Of The Year who will all be announced at the banquet to be held at a Harare hotel tonight.
Shamva-based Simba Bhora, who won the championship in their second dance in the country’s elite football league, have the highest number of players on the calendar with five — Musona, Blessing Moyo, Webster Tafa, Tymon Machope, and Isheanesu Mauchi.
Last year, the 11 soccer stars as voted for by the selection panel included Amini, Takunda Benhura, Nelson Chadya (all Ngezi Platinum Stars), Donald Mudadi, Tanaka Shandirwa (Dynamos), Andrew Mbeba, Ariel Sibanda (Highlanders), Tino Benza (Herentals), Fortune Binzi (Manica Diamonds) and Michael Charamba (Chicken Inn).
Simba Bhora mentor Tonderai Ndiraya is the favourite to win the gaffer of the year gong due to his outstanding tactics, succeeding Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi, who won the league title in his first full season in charge of the platinum miners last year.
The Goalkeeper of the Year as well as the Most Promising winners will also be announced tonight.
Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard and CAPS United’s Kingsley Mureremba are heavily tipped to grab the awards respectively.
Below is the list of the 2024 Soccer Stars of the Year:
Blessing Sasha Moyo (Simbas Bhora), Donovan Bernard (Chicken Inn), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Godknows Murwira (CAPS United), Isheanesu Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Khama Billiat (Yadah Stars), Kingsley Mureremba (CAPs United), Lynoth Chisepe Chikuhwa (Highlanders), Tymon Machope (Simba Bhora), Walter Musona (Simba Bhora), Webster Tafa (Simba Bhora
