15-year old in Zim senior team
Tadious Manyepo
Harare – Zimbabwean starlet Obert Chimedza Junior is making waves at English side MK Dons, with the versatile 15-year old star drafted into the national team back home.
The player, who is comfortable using both feet, was not used in the recent 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers that Zimbabwe played in Group H against neighbours Botswana and Zambia but he is in the mix for the tournament proper in Cameroon.
Zimbabwe and Algeria qualified for AFCON from their group.
Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic described Obert Jnr as a marvel.
He said, “This one is out of this world. His talent is incredibly outrageous. It’s been nice having him train with the big boys but with his frame and talent, it’s difficult to tell whether he is that young. Chimedza is definitely a world class star.”
The midfielder has scored 18 goals in 15 appearances for his English club.
Yet he was not interested in football fan until quite recently, and a gift of soccer boots from his father, Obert Snr, rapidly set him on the path to becoming an international star.
Obert Snr said, “At first, I thought he would grow to become a cricket or tennis player. But as someone who grew up playing football, I always wished to see my son play the game as well. After noticing that he didn’t have much interest in football, I decided to buy him football shoes as a birthday gift. He looked unhappy but after a while he started using them.”
During a school training session, scouts from Aces Youth Academy in Harare spotted his potential and took him into the famed fold that has produced players like Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat in recent years.
And when Obert Jnr travelled to the United Kingdom on holiday, when he was just 14-years-old, MK Dons officials were impressed when they saw him play a social game. They almost immediately signed him up.
Obert Jnr said, “My wish is to break into the English Premiership and I take it from there. I am working hard every day.”
He is the only player from Southern Africa in MK Dons.
