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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
WHEN it comes to the foreign experts, the GOAT narrative changes dramatically and is whittled down to just one football superstar — goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

The former Liverpool and Warriors ‘keeper is, according to them, the Greatest of All Time among Zimbabwean footballers to an extent he casts a huge shadow on everyone else.

While Peter Ndlovu and Moses Chunga rule, on the domestic front, with the Flying Elephant seemingly having an edge, it’s a different ball game when the foreign voices are taken into account.

It turns into a one-sided race, in favour of Grobbelaar, such that the massive gap, between the goalkeeper and others, makes it even no-contest at all.

While Peter gets a mention, like in the poll conducted by the Daily Mail newspaper of Britain when it named the best 50 African players of all-time, Chunga’s name doesn’t even feature at all.

Significantly, the gap between Bruce and Peter, according to those polls, is very big they belong in different categories of greatness with the Jungleman in his own special class.

He is the only Zimbabwean footballer who regularly features among the best 25 African players of all-time in polls undertaken by different foreign organisations.

Grobbelaar’s ability to make the first XI of a Liverpool side many considered the finest football team in the world in the ‘80s, and his phenomenal achievements with them, score him highly in those polls.

That he was the first footballer, among those who have represented African nations at international football level, to win the European Cup, now called the Champions League, scores big points in his favour in those polls.

He was also the first footballer, among those who have represented African nations at international football level, to lose the final of the European Cup when Liverpool were defeated by Juventus in 1985.

Six English league titles with the Reds also carry their weight in gold when the foreign experts sing in Grobbelaar’s corner as the GOAT when it comes to Zimbabwean footballers.

Grobbelaar was also part of the Dream Team which came within just a victory to qualify for the 1994 World Cup finals.

The authoritative Bleacher Report named Grobbelaar as Zimbabwe’s finest of all-time when they compiled their list of “The 50 Greatest African Players Of All Time.”

The list was compiled in 2013 and the Bleacher Report said they “considered players from the last 100 years, but those who represented African nations on the international arena, and those who didn’t, as well as those who played in Europe and those who didn’t.

“Cutting down an original short-list that ran to almost 200 players was not easy but considering each player’s career, by breaking down their individual honours, their international honours and their club honours have given a “way in” and a closer system with which to evaluate decades of wonderful players.

“Some wonderful African talents have missed out together — Larbi Ben Barek, John Obi Mikel, El Hadji Diouf, Frederic Kanoute, Badou Ezzaki, Kalusha Bwalya, Lakhdar Belloumi, Godfrey Chitalu, Francois Omam-Biyik, Papa Bouba Diop and Asamoah Gyan.”

The list has Moroccan star Moustapha Hadji on number 50 while Grobbelaar, the only Zimbabwean to make it, is on number 23.

“Grobbelaar may not have had the pure ability of Thomas N’Kono or Joseph Antoine-Bell, both of which pipped him in the IFFHS ‘Keeper of the Century list, but he remains one of the continent’s finest stoppers,” the Bleacher Report noted.

N’Kono, the legendary Cameroonian goalkeeper, was 15th on the list, a place above Yaya Toure with Jay Jay Okocha (13th), Michael Essien (12th), Sammy Kuffour (11th) taking the other places.

The top 10 featured Wael Gomaa (10th), Mohamed Aboutrika (9th), Abedi Pele (8th), Nkwanko Kanu (7th), Essam El-Hadary (6th), Hossam Hassan (5th), Roger Milla (4th), Didier Drogba (3rd), George Weah (2nd) and Samuel Eto’o in first place.

Sports Illustrated compiled their own list in June last year and Grobbelaar was again the only Zimbabwean among their 50 greatest African players of all time.

They named him in 21st place, concluding he was a better player than N’Kono who was named on number 24.

The top 10 had Sadio Mane (10), Michael Essien (9), Mohammed Salah (8), Kanu (7), Milla (6), Toure (5), Pele (4), Drogba (3), Eto’o (2) and Weah in first place. The Daily Mail newspaper compiled their list as part of the celebrations for the first FIFA World Cup held in Africa in 2010 and had Peter Ndlovu in 48th place.

“Zimbabwe’s all-time leading scorer, Ndlovu became an instant hit with English audiences with his lithe playing style after signing for Coventry in 1991,” the newspaper noted.

“The unpredictable scorer of mesmeric goals, Ndlovu epitomised Coventry’s underachieving sides in the early to mid nineties.

“A true ambassador for his country, Ndlovu racked up over 100 appearances for the Warriors.”

The newspaper named Grobbelaar as the 27th best African footballer of all time back then.

In January this year, Sportsafric.com named Weah as the finest African footballer of all time with Eto’o in second place and Milla in third place.

Drogba was named fourth, Pele fifth, Rabah Madjer sixth, Okocha seventh, Salif Keita eighth, Mustapha Dahleb ninth and Laurent Pokou, the Ivorian goalscoring machine, in 10th place.

Grobbelaar is named as the 15th greatest African footballer of all time, just two places behind Kalusha Bwalya in 13th place, while Salah is in 17th place and N’Kono in 18th place.

Last month, Goal.com came up with a controversial list of the six players they claim are the finest to have emerged from this country.

The compilation was part of the 40th celebrations of the return of Zimbabwean football from international isolation in 1980.

“As the Southern African nation celebrated Independence, Goal tank the greatest players to ever represent the Warriors,” the international football website said.

“Zimbabwe has had celebrated football stars who have excelled in both club football and national team (assignments).

“It was a tough call to drop the likes of George Shaya, the late Freddie Mkwesha, Norman Mapeza, John Phiri and Moses Chunga who all enjoy legendary status.”

The website named Marvelous Nakamba in sixth place and Benjani Mwaruwari in fifth place.

“Regarded as a player for big games during his playing career, the former striker scored at Old Trafford on two occasions, first in Portsmouth colours and then for Manchester City,” Goal said.

“He also had goals to his name at Stamford Bridge and Anfield and a brace in Blackburn Rovers 3-2 win over Liverpool at Ewood Park.

“Those were Benjani’s major highlights in the Premier League where he made 118 appearances and scored 26 goals while turning out for Portsmouth City, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

“Lifting the 2008 FA Cup with Pompey was his biggest achievement during his time in England.

“With a few Zimbabwean players having played UEFA Champions League football, Benjani remains the only player from his country to score in this elite club competition.

“He found the back of the net twice in six Champions League games for Auxerre with whom he also won the French Cup twice.”

Goal named Khama Billiat in fourth place, Knowledge Musona in third place, Peter Ndlovu in second place and Grobbelaar in first place.