National teams general manager Wellington Mpandare said that there are many footballers born in Europe with Zimbabwean roots who are eager to play for The Warriors.
Mpandare was speaking to Soccer24 while responding to Arsenal forward Reiss Nelson’s remarks about his nationality.
Nelson, born to a British mother and a Zimbabwean father, recently said he is not from Zimbabwe, adding his mother is from Jamaica.
Mpandare, who has over the years tried to persuade the 23-year-old to play for Zimbabwe, said he accepts Nelson’s decision to choose to represent the country where his mother originally came from. He said:
It’s sad that (Reiss) Nelson chose not to represent Zimbabwe, but life goes on for us.
We would have loved to have him as part of the Warriors, but unfortunately, he chose his mother’s country of birth.
It’s a closed chapter. There are so many players eligible to represent Zimbabwe, and our only prayer is that international football returns soon.
Several British-born footballers have played for the Warriors in the past few years, among them Tendayi Darikwa, Admiral Muskwe, and Jordan Zemura.
Former and current English Premier Soccer League footballers with Jamaican roots include John Barnes, Raheem Sterling, Rolando Aarons, Danny Rose, Michail Antonio, Troy Deeney, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Ashley Young, Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Adrian Mariappa, Rueben Loftus-Cheek, Leon Bailey, Nathan Redmond, Scott Sinclair and former Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom.
Some of the players named above play for the Jamaican national team while the likes of Walker and Sterling play for the Three Lions.
More: Pindula News
The problem with Zimbabweans is that they believe in rumours. Has ZIFA ever checked that this young footballer has any Zimbabwe heritage? Worse still, the teams manager comments on the nonsensical rumours.
No I think now as South Africans we need to wake up and fight for our own country… Now it’s seems like we are being forced to live with Zimbabweans for the rest of our lives… These lawyers who fights for human rights.. why can they go to Zimbabwe and fight there?…
Again is not like SA is the only African country that exist here in Africa… Coz even before these guys come here … They had nothing.. no Houses , no jobs no nothing… If now that’s the case .. their government must do something for them because Zimbabweans are his responsibility and his problems..