Do you know that there was a man who in 2003 put up US$1 million for the Warriors and their supporters to travel to West Africa for a 2004 Afcon qualifier against Mali ?
That man remains one of the biggest individual Warriors sponsors in history and even surpassing what many other big companies have failed to do for the Zimbabwe national soccer team.
That man is still with us and Regis Sibanda does not claim credit, but is one of the reasons why Zimbabwe qualified for the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations finals — their first ever qualification in history.
The then minister of Information, Jonathan Moyo, Zifa chairman, Rafik Khan, and Warriors captain, Peter Ndlovu, were at hand — at Ambassador Hotel — to receive the sponsorship from Sibanda.
What is interesting is that the Warriors went on to force a 1-1 draw in that match in Bamako where it rained heavily ONLY around the stadium and Lazarus Muhoni — once again —scored for the Warriors.
The Warriors' had earlier on beaten the West Africans 1-0 at the National Sports Stadium where it had also rained on areas ONLY around the stadium and — listen to this — Lazarus Muhoni was also the scorer.
Muhoni — the Black Rhinos midfielder — was later on nicknamed Mali for his exploits in the two matches.
Zimbabwe Soccer Supporters Association secretary general Matthias Kufandirimbwa who was spokesperson of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association at that time recalls.
"The heavens opened up for us both home and away. These were signs that we were going to qualify for Afcon and qualify we later on did," reflects Kufandirimbwa.
The Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association were among the beneficiaries of the sponsorship from Sibanda.
Sibanda continues to follow the Warriors closely but now has his own social football team, HEMS, built around players from his workplace.
As Zimbabwe heads for Afcon 2027, the challenge for Zimbabwean football would surely be financial and Zimbabwe needs people like Sibanda to make sacrifices to assist the team.
Or replicate the historic Mzansi 90 committee led by the then young and energetic George Manyaya who in 2012 raised US$524 000 for the Warriors to travel to Angola for an Afcon qualifier and paying for all expenses including a chartered plane that also carried supporters.
With word that each Warriors match consumes around US$750 000, Zimbabwe surely needs a Warriors fund raising committee just like the Mzansi 90, which Manyaya used to lead.
At one time we had what was called the Warriors Trust Fund but that ceased to operate as soon as the main actor Dr Gideon Gono got a new appointment as governor of the Reserve Bank.
Surely, the financial weight facing Zifa in the 2027 Afcon qualifiers and later World Cup 2030 is just too much and a revival of the Warriors Trust Fund could surely ease the burden on the association.
There are so many rich people within our football these days and the corporate world is also willing to be associated with the Warriors but what is missing is how ?
A revival of the Warriors Trust Fund or something like the Mzansi 90 could be the solution.
For your comments, views, and suggestions mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 0773 266 779.