Portugal-based midfielder Colbert Chimedza is the latest player to be drafted into the Warriors provisional squad, as coach Marian Marinica continues to chop and change his team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations finals later this month.
The hugely talented 20-year-old was a surprise omission from the initial 55-member squad announced last week.
However, ZIFA yesterday confirmed his inclusion, giving him a chance to impress the new coach for a coveted position in the final 25-man squad set to travel to Morocco.
"Colbert Chimedza has joined the Warriors camp, further sharpening the team’s balance and readiness for the continental challenge. More players are expected, and we will continue to update you as the squad grows," announced ZIFA in a statement yesterday.
Chimedza's stock has been gradually growing since his breakout season at MK Dons in the English third-tier in 2021.
Born in Harare before moving to London at 14, he began his career at the famed Aces Youth Soccer Academy, which developed Warriors stars like Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat, and Martin Mapisa.
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He was discovered by MK Dons while playing in a social match during a UK holiday.
After a reported near-move to Turkish side Adana Demirspor in 2023 fell through, Chimedza made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean since Independence to sign for a Portuguese top-flight side when he joined Gil Vicente at the start of the season. He is only the second Zimbabwean after the legendary Freddie Mkwesha (Braga, 1960s) to achieve this feat.
Currently on loan to lower-league side AC Marinhense for game time, Chimedza's standout moment this season came in the Taça de Portugal first round, where his inspiring performance led AC Marinhense to victory before they were eventually knocked out by giants FC Porto.
While this is his maiden Warriors call, Chimedza has previously had a taste of the senior national team environment.
In 2021, on holiday in Harare, he trained with the Warriors preparing for an AFCON qualifier against Zambia.
The then 16-year-old charmed Warriors players and then-coach Zdravko Logarušić with his outstanding technical ability.
Warriors then vice-captain Ovidy Karuru described Chimedza "as one for the future," while Logarušić boldly called the youngster a "world star."“Watch out for this one. He is the future for the Warriors,” Karuru, who has played in France, remarked.
Chimedza's addition is the latest of the changes as Marinica continues to drastically alter the squad.
The Romanian coach’s controversial culling has seen key local stars shown the door, including Soccer Star of the Year finalists Abubakar Moffat, Tymon Machope, Andrew Mbeba, and Emmanuel Jalai, as well as Walter Musona, Junior Makunike, and Xolani Ndlovu.
The official reason given for the axing has been injuries, a claim met with widespread skepticism as most of the players are reportedly fit.
Musona amplified this skepticism when he took to social media and cryptically wrote, "1000% fit."
Marinica's relationship with the players is reportedly strained.
Brought in to usher in a new era, the coach has instead triggered a crisis, with reports suggesting the camp has become an "inferno of discord and abuse."
As if the internal strife wasn't enough, the Warriors' pre-AFCON preparation strategy has been completely torpedoed by CAF.
The continental football motherbody yesterday shifted the official player release date from December 8 to on or before December 15, 2025. This massive logistical setback has effectively killed Zifa's plan for a crucial acclimatization camp in Spain with the full squad.
"The delayed availability of key players compresses Zimbabwe’s build-up window and disrupts the intended sequencing of training, friendly matches, and travel arrangements," Zifa lamented.
With foreign-based players like Alec Mudimu, Macauley Bonne, and Chimedza only just trickling into camp, the Warriors are now forced to recalibrate their entire AFCON structure under a dark cloud of discord, compressed deadlines, and a coach whose decisions are rapidly confusing the football supporters.