National Team Players Reject 'Mercenaries' Tag

The Warriors have said that they are not driven by the love of money to play for their country.

An unnamed player who spoke to The Herald told the publication that most of them earn good money at their clubs and what really motivates them is to win for Zimbabwe and make the entire nation happy. Said the player:

We are professionals and we have never said that our aim is to make money out of playing for our country, we get some decent salaries at our clubs and this is national service and we are proud to do it because, in life, there are more important things than money and nothing beats making an entire nation feel happy and proud.

The Warriors became infamous during the chaotic 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt, where they reportedly threatened to abandon the tournament several times over unpaid allowances.

Meanwhile, the players have accepted ZIFA’s Z$30 000 (about US$1 500) winning bonus, for the two 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia.

More: The Herald