Zimpapers Logo

Robson Sharuko

Senior Sports Editor

WHEN Goran Pandev was substituted in Amsterdam this week, the match was brought to a brief pause, for players to give him a guard of honour, as he left the trenches of international football, for the last time.

Although his team were losing the match, and had already been eliminated, the sight of his fellow players halting their battle to give him a befitting farewell, created one of the best images of Euro 2020.

Earlier, his Dutch counterpart, Georginio Wijnaldum, had presented him with a personalised Dutch jersey, with the name Pandev, and the number 122, inscribed at the back.

Pandev, who turns 38 next month, had already announced the match against the Netherlands would be his final appearance, for North Macedonia.

“I am happy that I say farewell to the national team in such a great competition,” Pandev told the Associated Press.

“It’s not only my dream, but the dream of the national coach, and all the players, became reality to see our country, Macedonia, in a great competition.”

Interestingly, the goals, which the talented playmaker, scored for his country, in a lengthy 20-year adventure which started at the turn of the millennium, are exactly the same number of goals, which a certain legend, also scored for his national team.

Peter Ndlovu, just like Pandev, scored a record 38 goals for his Warriors, during an international career, which lasted 16 years, in which he took his team, into virgin territory.

His final goal, for his country, came against the Desert Foxes of Algeria, in a stormy 2006 World Cup qualifier, on June 19, 2005, in Oran, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Shingi Kawondera scored the crucial equaliser before stunning the world, with his monkey dance celebrations, which he later claimed was triggered by some racist abuse, he had suffered, at the hands of some of the Algerian fans.

It’s not usual that two legends, who led their countries to their maiden appearance, at a major tournament, find themselves retiring, after having scored the same number of goals.

Pandev scored the goal, which helped his country beat Georgia 1-0, in Tiblisi, to secure their first qualification for Euro 2020, their first appearance, at a major football tournament.

Ndlovu scored the two goals, which helped the Warriors beat Eritrea 2-0 at the National Sports Stadium, on July 5, 2003, which effectively secured their first appearance, at a major football tournament, at the 2004 AFCON finals.

Pandev led from the front, as his team’s captain, to finally drag them to their maiden appearance, among the big boys of European football, as he starred in most of their games.

Ndlovu led from the front, as his team’s captain, to finally take them to the world of the big boys, of African football, as he was the leading goal-scorer, for the Warriors, in the qualifiers.

Pandev scored the first goal, for North Macedonia, at a major football tourney, in their defeat at the hands of Austria at the on-going Euro 2020.

Ndlovu scored the first goal, for Zimbabwe, at a major football tourney, in their 1-2 defeat at the hands of the Pharaohs of Egypt, in the Warriors’ opening 2004 AFCON finals, in Tunisia.

Pandev is the record goal-scorer, for North Macedonia, with 38 goals, for his country, in matches in which he was largely their creative force, rather than the out-and-out striker, expected to provide the bulk of the goals.

Ndlovu is the record goal-scorer, for Zimbabwe, with 38 goals, for his country, in matches in which he was largely deployed either wide on the flanks, or playing behind the out-and-out strikers, expected to provide the bulk of the goals.

When he scored against Austria, at Euro 2020, Pandev was aged 37 years and 321 days and, in the process, he became the second oldest player, ever to score at the Euros.

Austria’s Ivica Vastic, at the age of 38 years and 257 days, remains the oldest player, to score at the Euros, when he found the target against Poland, in 2008.

Pandev has come a long way and, 11 years ago, he was one of the stars of the Inter Milan team, under Jose Mourinho, which won the Treble of the UEFA Champions League, Italian Serie A title and Coppa Italia.

He was on the scoresheet when North Macedonia beat Germany 2-1, in a 2022 World Cup qualifier in Duisburg, in March this year, in one of the biggest shocks, in the tournament’s history.

“Pandev is like a king for what he does,” North Macedonia’s centreback, Kire Ristevski, told BBC Sport. “I cannot even explain what an amazing guy he is. 

“He always wants to help everyone, and from him we have seen things like from a legend.  “I think there is no-one like him in North Macedonia, as a player, and also privately. He is a communicative guy and wants to talk with everyone.”