Knowledge Musona: Zimbabwe coach says good time for striker to quit national duty

Zimbabwe coach Norman Mapeza accepts the timing is right for striker Knowledge Musona to retire from international football, even though it will weaken the Warriors further.

Musona announced his retirement on Twitter last week "with a heavy heart", a few days before Zimbabwe were removed from the upcoming 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 31-year-old scored 24 goals in 51 caps and his decision comes just months after another of Zimbabwe's key players, midfielder Khama Billiat, also quit the national side.

Mapeza worked with Musona during several stints as national team coach, including at the 2021 Nations Cup finals earlier this year where he played his final games for the Warriors.

"I think it was the right time for him to call it a day, when he was still loved by the fans, but we'll miss him," Mapeza told BBC Sport Africa.

"His contribution to Zimbabwean football was immense. I gave Knowledge his first cap in 2010 and he was one of those guys that you could tell was committed to his job. He was very disciplined, a fantastic player.

"From his generation he's one of the best players I worked with, and his professionalism was second to none."

Musona has decided to focus on his club career with Al-Tai in Saudi Arabia, but his retirement from international duty has been seen by some as a vote of no-confidence in the state of Zimbabwean football - as was the case with Billiat.

Billiat stood down a day before the Zimbabwe Football Association executive was suspended by the government-appointed Sports and Recreation Commission, a move which ultimately led to the country's ban from global football.

That ban, imposed by world governing body Fifa in February, has ultimately led to Zimbabwe being barred from qualifying for next year's Nations Cup in Ivory Coast.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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