By Wale Mustapha
Zimbabwe’s head coach, Michael Nees, has expressed his satisfaction at having veteran striker Knowledge Musona back in the national team fold ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria.
Musona, who has been absent from the Warriors for three years, made his long-awaited return in Zimbabwe’s 2-2 draw with Benin Republic last week, marking his comeback with a goal.
Nees is hopeful that the Al-Okhdood forward’s experience and goal-scoring ability will play a crucial role as Zimbabwe faces Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Uyo today.
“Musona is very important for us,” Nees said during a press conference.
“He’s experienced, has the skills, the character, and he adds significant value to our team.
“We’re happy to have him back, and he’s also happy to be back.”
With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers heating up, Musona’s return comes as a timely boost for the Warriors as they look to make an impact in the highly competitive Group C.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
