Philemon Jambaya
Zim Now Editor
The Zimbabwe national football team, the Warriors, has made significant strides in the FIFA World Rankings under the leadership of German coach Michael Nees.
According to the latest rankings released on Thursday, Zimbabwe has climbed 12 places to the 117th position globally and 31st in Africa. This surge can be attributed to their impressive performances in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, where they remain unbeaten in Group J.
Nees' tenure has seen the Warriors secure back-to-back victories over Namibia, earning them a cumulative 27.49 percentage points. These wins have solidified their position in Group J and increased their chances of qualifying for the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco.
While the Warriors have made commendable progress, they still have a long way to go to reach their peak ranking of 40 in the world, achieved in April 1995 under the guidance of another German coach, Reinhard Fabisch. Fabisch's "Dream Team" era was marked by a 14-match unbeaten streak and victories over African giants like Cameroon and Egypt.
The departure of Fabisch in the late 1990s marked a decline for Zimbabwean football, with the team falling out of the top 100 in the 2000s and struggling to regain their former glory.
The recent jump in the FIFA rankings is a positive sign for Zimbabwean football and offers hope for a brighter future. As the Warriors continue to improve under Nees' leadership, they aim to reclaim their place among the continent's top footballing nations.
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