HARARE – Warriors legend Micheck Chidzambwa was laid to rest in Mhondoro on Monday amid emotional scenes.
The former Dynamos defender died last Thursday aged 66.
Sunday Chidzambwa, Mischek’s elder brother, said: “Misheck was a unifier within the family and he was a straight talker. He was a key member within our family. He was a gentleman and very humble.
“When it comes to sport, he played a huge role, especially for Dynamos Football Club and the national team. He has departed with his soccer knowledge, but to those who were willing to learn, I think they got something from him.”
Sunday said his younger brother was diagnosed with cancer last year and underwent an operation to try and save his life.
“He was operated on last year after a lump was discovered. The idea was to later remove the lump, but after the latest test, whose results came last Wednesday, it was discovered that the lump had grown bigger and he passed on the same night.”
Misheck was the first Zimbabwe captain to lift silverware with the Warriors when they won the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup at Rufaro in 1985.
Zimbabwe’s second silverware came in 2000 when Chidzambwa led the Warriors to their first COSAFA Cup success.
Speaking at the burial, football legend and coach Cosmas Zulu demanded the recognition of the sport’s greats.
“What is painful at the moment is that our football legends are not being recognised,” Zulu lamented.
“Today we bury Misheck here, but future generations will not know about him. Why can’t Zifa make a request to government so that we can get a piece of land where people like Misheck can be buried? He did a lot for this country in the game.
“I see people taking groceries to George Shaya’s house. That’s OK, but that’s not enough. Why not name at least a street after him so that his story can never be forgotten? Even the young players playing now they don’t even know the history of our football. I asked my players the other day to tell me the first Zimbabwean player to go to Europe. They thought it was Moses Chunga. We need to recognise our legends.”
