WALTER Musona entered his name into Zimbabwe’s football history after he picked up the Soccer Star of the Year accolade for the second time to be level with legends of the game such as Peter Ndlovu and Stanley Nduduma.
The champions Simba Bhora skipper was crowned the 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season Soccer Star of the Year at a colourful ceremony in Harare on Friday night, shrugging off challenges from Highlanders’ Lynoth Chikuhwa, who was the first runner-up and Yadah’s Khama Billiat, the second runner-up.
Musona also won the prestigious gong in 2022.
A delighted Musona said: “I feel honoured and I feel lucky, the competition was there, and I know it could have gone in any direction. It feels great to walk the podium in a league with so many good players like Khama Billiat, (Tymon) Machope and Lynoth Chikuhwa,”
Musona has played football in Slovak and South Africa and returned to play for FC Platinum before packing his bags to head to Simba Bhora.
Ndlovu, the celebrated former Warriors skipper, won the top award twice in 1990 and 1991 while at Bulawayo giants Highlanders before making his way to the English Premier League, where he joined Coventry City and played for the club for six years.
In 1990, Ndlovu was jointly honoured alongside George Nechironga, then at Caps United, who went on to sign for Polish side Klub Sportowy Sokół Pniewy in 1995 before joining Polokwane City in South Africa in 1996.
The late Stanley Nduduma did it in 1981 while at Caps United and in 1985 with Black Rhinos.
- DeMbare star fits Belgian bill
- DeMbare coach warns against complacency
- DeMbare not giving up title fight
- Dembare confident of lifting league championship
Keep Reading
The Glamour Boys’ legend George Shaya has the highest number of the stars’ medals, winning in 1969 and 1972 before making a treble in 1976, 1977 and 1978.
Chikuhwa won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Golden Boot award after he finished the season with 17 goals, while Billiat was honoured for being the fans’ favourite player of the year.
Allen Chapinduka of TelOne scooped the Rookie of the Year award with coach Tonderai Ndiraya of Simba Bhora winning the Coach of the Year honours.
Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard won the Golden Glove.
The other soccer star of the year finalists are Blessing Moyo, Isheanesu Mauchi, Machope, Webster Tafa (Simba Bhora), Godknows Murwira, Kingsley Mureremba (CAPS United), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos).
