The Top Ten Youngest Players To Make Their Debut For Zimbabwe Warriors
The selection of teenage stars Bill Antonio of Dynamos and Leicester City’s Tawanda Maswanhise to the senior Warriors Provisional squad to play against South Africa and Ethiopia on the 11th and 14th November, is the third time in recent years Zimbabwe have had two teenagers in the squad at the same time.
The first time was on 16 August 1992 when then coach Reinhardt Fabisch introduced Peter Ndlovu at 19 years 172 days old alongside Vitalis Takawira who was also 19 years 326 days old against South Africa.
On 27 January 2010, then coach Norman Mapeza brought in 16-year-old Archford Gutu alongside Knowledge Musona who was 19 years 220 days old as substitutes in a 3-0 loss to South Africa.
Ever since that time, the Warriors have seen only three more teenagers being capped with Denver Mukamba given his debut when he was 19-years 164 days old on 3 June 2012 against Guinea, then followed by Kudakwashe Mahachi who also got his Warriors cap on 8 September 2013 at the age of 19 years 344 days.
Leeroy Mavhunga is currently the latest teenager to make his debut for the Warriors after introduced against Mozambique on 26 June 2017 when he was 18-years 202 days old.
There are high hopes for Bill Antonio who turned 19 on September 3, 2021 and 18-year-old Tawanda Maswanhise who will also be turning 19 on 20 November 2021, and will be looking to emulate some of the other players who made their first appearance for the Warriors at an early age.
Jonah Fabisch is another youngster in line for his Warriors debut, but having turned 20 years on 13 August 2021 he falls out of the top ten list which is dominated by teenagers.
We take a look at the top ten list of youngest players to make their debut for Zimbabwe to see where Antonio and Maswanhise lie if they are to make their debut for Zimbabwe on the 11th or the 14th of November.
10- Ovidy Karuru made his debut for the Warriors when he was 19-years 227 days against Guinea on September 7, 2008.
9- Knowledge Musona made his first Warriors appearance against South Africa on the 27th of January 2010 when he was 19-years 220 days.
8- Jimmy Jambo was introduced in a game against Madagascar in 2007 when he was 19-years 217 days.
7- Peter Ndlovu made his debut on 16 August 1992 against South Africa at the age of 19 years 172 days old.
6- Denver Mukamba made his first appearance when he was 19 years 164 days
5- Joel Luphahla made his debut when he was 18-years 351 days against Lesotho on 5th March 2000.
4- Alexander Maseko was only 18 years 243 days old when he made his Warriors debut on 11 April 1987 against Mozambique.
3- Leeroy Mavhunga made his debut at 18 years 202 days in 2017
2- Tapuwa Kapini is the second youngest player to make debut for Zimbabwe at the age of 17 years and 10 days against Malawi in 2001.
1- Archford Gutu is currently the youngest player to ever make their debut at the age of 16 years 175 days old.
At 19 years 71 days or less Bill Antonio could upstage Denver Mukamba at sixth position on the top ten list of youngest debutants.
Maswanhise who will be 18 years 358 days if he manages to make it against Ethiopia in Harare, could see himself becoming sixth youngest Warriors debutant pushing Bill Antonio down to seventh position.
Other teenagers to make debuts for Zimbabwe Warriors who are not in the top ten list include George Mbwando (19 years 329 days) and Cephas Chimedza (19 years 309 days).
