Mercedes Sibanda                                                                       

                                                                                 by Lovemore Dube

                                         

 ONCE regarded as one of the best right backs in Africa, Mercedes Sibanda had a stellar career with his boyhood club Highlanders FC of Bulawayo.

He was one of the torchbearers of the great side of the 1980s that went on to win two league titles in 1990 and 1993 to make him one of the most successful heroes of that generation.

Born in Bulawayo in 1966 and bred in the football hub of Mzilikazi Township, Rambo as he was affectionately known by millions across Zimbabwe and beyond went to Mzilikazi Primary School.

He grew up playing football on any open area his friends could afford to convert to a plastic ball pitch. Occasionally he ventured to Makokoba, Nguboyenja and Thorngrove for matches against peers from an early age, something that built his self confidence as bullying at times reared its ugly head.

In 1979 he joined the Highlanders FC Under-14s and rose through the ranks to join remnants of the 1981 Bosso Under-18 team that was called Liverpool. Like the teams before his were also dominant in the junior league where teams like Bulawayo Wanderers, Gold Star, Olympics and Zimbabwe Saints competed well and produced gems of that time.

As his stock rose Sibanda soon found himself playing in the Matabeleland North Under-18 team, a first step towards the Zimbabwe Under-20 national team.

Soon he was a regular in that team alongside Clayton Munemo, Joshua Mhizha, Paul Gundani, Sydney Zimunya, Spencer Ngove and Boy Ndlovu.

He would be played at right back or centre back in the Highlanders FC reserve team but would make his debut in the senior team in 1984. He would be on and off with the role occupied by hardworking Fanuel Ncube.

By 1985 when club lost 1-0 to Arcadia in the Chibuku Cup final, Sibanda had established himself as a regular and promotion to the Warriors followed after a magnificent run that saw him win the Cosafa Cup with Young Warriors in Botswana in 1985.

He was top of the game in 1986 as Highlanders swept all silverware. He was a regular in the Warriors set up with teammates Madinda Ndlovu and Willard Khumalo. Debate rages on that he should have been crowned Soccer Star in 1986 as he had a brilliant season despite losing it to Moses Chunga and his teammates Madinda and Khumalo had a close claim to it too.

In the Warriors his career saw him rub shoulders with three generations of footballers Misheck Marimo, Ephert Lungu, Ernest Mutano, Oliver Kateya, Alexander Maseko, Joseph Zulu, Henry Mckop, John Phiri, Madinda, Ephraim Chawanda, Nkonjera, Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu, Norman Mapeza, Isaac Riyano, Alois Bunjira and Sheperd Muradzikwa.

He was part of the Highlanders team of Tito Paketh, Alexander Maseko,  Douglas Mloyi, Khumalo, Madinda, Richard Ndlovu, Thoko Sithole, Smart Moyo, David Phiri, Titus Majola, Fanuel Ncube, Tobias Mudyambanje and Amin Soma-Phiri that toured Germany and returned to a trailblazing 1988 season to claim all silverware except the Chibuku Trophy conceded to Zimbabwe Saints.

In 1987 Sibanda became the first player since Moses Madalaboy Moyo to win the Soccer Star of the Year gong from Bulawayo.

With Alexander Maseko, Madinda and Khumalo they were the cornerstones of the Zimbabwe national team that finished runners up to Zambia in the a  tournamernt held in Malawi.

Rambo and Rahman Gumbo had a brief spell at Randers FC in Denmark in 1989 and returned to save Bosso from relegation under new arrival Roy Barreto.

His first league title came in 1990 a year in which Bosso added the Zifa Cup for a league and cup double, a first by a team outside Harare after Black Rhinos and Dynamos had enjoyed that unique success.

He continued to bag silverware with Highlanders winning many more Independence, Heroes Cup and the Zifa Cup of 1991 before another big win the 1993 inaugural Premier Soccer League.

His last big trophy with Highlanders was the BP League Cup in 1994.

Sibanda was a first choice right back for Reinhard Fabisch in the Dream Team and never disappointed with his man-marking, overlaps and brilliant crosses.

He packed one of the most ferocious shots in the local league and scored regularly with bullets from free kicks or penalty kicks.

At the twilight of his career he moved to Blackpool in 1998 before retiring.

He passed on in 2002 after a long illness.

He remains one of Zimbabwe’s most loved and talked about footballer for his on and off the field deeds.

One time he threatened with a knife a sugar cane vendor in Mozambique.

It is said he would carry money in a lunch box and buy all the beer at shebeens to drink with his Bosso buddies Khumalo and Sydney Zimunya.

He is buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery in Bulawayo where other eminent personalities of Bulawayo like Lookout Masuku, Khumalo, Benjamin Nkonjera, Nqobizitha Maenzanise and Barry Daka.