MEET THE U17 GOLDEN BOY
 
NAME:                Junior Blessing Nyamuzihwa.

CLUB: None.
 
BORN: 23-12-99.
 
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kuwadzana Maternity.
 
POSITION: Attacking midfielder or winger.
 
NICKNAME: Gode or Yallah.
 
HOOD: Kuwadzana 4.
 
HEIGHT: 1,45m.
 
WEIGHT: 55kgs.
 
PREFERRED FOOT: Right.
 
SHOE SIZE: Six.
 
JERSEY NUMBER: 11.
 
SCHOOLS ATTENDED: Mbizi Primary in Highfield, Kuwadzana 1 High and
Prince Edward School.
 
SCHOOL REPORT: I have three ‘O’ Levels.
 
LANGUAGES: Shona, English and Ndebele.
 
RELIGION: I am a Christian. I fellowship at UFIC.
 
FAVOURITE DISH: Sadza and beef.
 
FAVOURITE HOLIDAY RESORT: Durban, South Africa.
 
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS: Jovial, talkative and respectful.
 
FLICKS: Music and movies.
 
FAVOURITE COLOURS: White and red.
 
TUNES: Hiphop and Zimdancehall.
 
FAVOURITE ARTISTES: Designer, Emtee, AKA, Seh Calaz and Soul Jah Love.
 
MOBILE HANDSET: Samsung J5.
 
WHEELS: Handina mota but my dream car is a Mercedes Benz.
 
MARITAL STATUS: Ahh kana (laughing). Ndichiri mudiki.
 
KIDS: I am still a kid. I don’t even think about it.
 
FAMILY: I am the third born in family of five. Four boys (Tawanda, Shingi, me and Shepherd) and a girl Monica. Dad, Wilfred in SA and my mum is in Kuwadzana.
 
CLOSE BUDDIES: Clyde Mushore, Denzel Khumalo and Takudzwa Mahori.
 
SOCIAL NETWORKS: I am active on app and FB.
 
BOOZE: I have never tried it and I don’t think I will do so.
 
HAIRSTYLES: Mohawk and tinted hair.

TATTOOS: I will have one when I am up there, when I am successful and playing football at the highest level. I like them.
 
DO YOU WEAR EARRINGS? Handimafarire. People associate them with strange behaviour. Ndakanaka ndakadaro.
 
CLOTHING LABELS: Nike and Gucci.
 
PERFUME: Hugo Boss and Adidas.
 
IF YOU HAD NOT BEEN A FOOTBALLER: Electrician, at home I fix all electric faults.
 
OTHER SPORTING ACTIVITIES: Athletics.
 
TELL US SOMETHING WE DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU: I am always in a jovial mood.
 
YOU PLAY A BIT LIKE:  Neymar or Antoine Griezmann.
 
INSPIRATION: My mum, Theresa Mekia.
 
PRE-MATCH RITUAL: I sing gospel music and pray before a match.
 
DO YOU BELIEVE IN JUJU? Ah kana (no), we only pray.
 
TEAMS SUPPORTED: Chelsea, CAPS United, Barca, Mamelodi Sundowns and Athletico Madrid.
 
HOW DID YOUR CAREER START? At primary level but I used to be criticised because of my small frame.
At High school, my coaches started relying on me ahead of senior players with stamina and height.
Coach Agrippa Chenjerai trusted me when I was Form Two and I turned out for the senior side at Kuwadzana High.
That’s when scouts from Prince Edward identified me and I went there for form three and four.
Jacob Chavhungama was my coach at High School.
Soon after finishing school, I joined CAPS United in 2015 at the beginning of the season. I didn’t know anyone, I just went for trials and Mark Harrison was interested in me.
 
STRENGTHS: I have the pace and can dribble. I am more influential with offensive play than defensive. I am good at crosses and that has helped me get the better of defenders. I am quick. I have the skill and it’s easy for me to dribble past defenders.
 
WEAKNESSES: Stamina and anything to do with aerial power.
 
CHILDHOOD HERO: Tafadzwa ‘Fire’ Rusike.
 
MESSI OR RONALDO: Messi
 
PREMIERSHIP DEBUT: I played in the Harare derby against Dynamos in the Zimbabwe National Army Charity shield and we lost 1-0 at Rufaro.
In a league match, I played the fifth game of the season against Harare City under Harrison.
I came in for Chrispen Machisi.
 
FORMER CLUBS: CAPS United.
 
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR CONTRACT? We were given clearances after the July transfer window. They told us that they couldn’t afford to pay 30 players. I was offloaded together with Tinotenda Muskwe and Victor Moyo.
 
HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? I felt useless but I have picked again.
 
HAVE YOU JOINED ANY TEAM SO FAR? No, I am training with Harare City cubs, a Division Two team but I don’t have a contract with them. David Kutyauripo is my coach.
 
ANY PLANS TO LEAVE SOON: It depends with the offers.
 
2016 AUSC ZONE 5 GAMES: It was a great tournament and we were the best team. It’s the first gold medal in my career.
 
CAPTAINCY: It’s a great feeling to lead a team. It pushes me to work harder.
 
HOW MANY GAMES DID YOU PLAY? Five games. We played Swaziland, Zambia and Angola in-group stages. It was a round robin format. In the semi-finals, we played Swaziland again and it spilled into penalties. We won 5-4 and I scored from the spot kick. We then beat Angola in extra time in the final (1-0).
I started in all games and I was the captain in some of the matches.
 
GOALS SCORED: I scored the winner against Swaziland in the first round of matches. We won 3-2. I also scored a penalty in the semi-finals.
 
MOST MEMORABLE GAME: The semi-final against Swaziland. I was wearing the captain’s armband and ndaisamakika.
 
TAFADZWA MASHIRI: He is a very good coach. He is not tough and allows us to express ourselves on the field of play. He loves to win.
 
FAVOURITE YOUNG WARRIORS: Denzel Khumalo, Lesly Lunga, Prince Jaure of Bantu Rovers.
 
YOUR BEST PLAYER OF THE TOURNEY: Abu Barker of Aces Academy, he is a centre back.
 
YOU ACHIEVED YOUR TARGET? Surely, last year the soccer team won silver and this time we won gold. As a group, we won 19 medals, a better performance from last year.
 
BIGGEST JOKER: Peace Makaha. He is a funny guy. He plays for Dynamos.
 
ANY LESSONS FROM ANGOLA: It gave me more exposure in international games. I have played in Botswana and Cameroon with the U17 and I am getting better with each passing game.
Besides football, we had a chance to visit the museum and other tourist places in Angola. It was educational.
 
AFTER WINNING GOLD, WHAT NEXT? I would not want our team to be disbanded. I want us to play together and move on to the next stage together. We have a good team.
 
INTERNATIONAL CAPS: Eight.
 
BEST COACHES WORKED WITH: Mark Mathe, Mark Harrison, Lloyd Chitembwe and David Kutyauripo.
 
WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF? Accidents.
  
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? Bible
 
IS THERE SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET BEFORE YOU DIE? Lionel Messi.
 
NAME ONE THING YOU’D NEVER TRAVEL WITHOUT? My gadgets with music. Inondipinza mu game.
 
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS TIME? I will be playing in a better league outside Zimbabwe.
 
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL: I haven’t decided. But I like buying properties.