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Collin Matiza Sports Editor

AUSTRALIA-BASED Munya Muchemwa has joined a growing list of young Zimbabwean players who are finding their way into Spanish football after he was snatched by one of Spain’s top academies — MV8 Football Academy.

Eighteen-year-old Muchemwa, who moved to Australia from Zimbabwe at the age of two, was snatched this week after a two-week trial at the Seville-based academy where he signed a season-long contract, which will help him in becoming a fully-fledged professional footballer overseas.

“Munya Muchemwa has officially signed for the San Roque team,” said MV8 Football Academy when announcing the arrival of Muchemwa on their official website yesterday.

“After spending two weeks on trial, he managed to convince the manager and the board to sign him on.

“At the MV8 Football Academy we are happy that yet another player stepped up to an important youth club in Seville. Well done and all the best to Munya.”

Muchemwa, who is equally at home when playing either as a winger or an attacking midfielder, has joined the likes of fellow Zimbabweans Martin Mapisa, Abubakar Moffat, Nicholas Guyo and Kundai Mukweva who are playing for different Spanish clubs and academies. Goalkeeper Mapisa and midfielder Moffat are both at Spanish lower division side Velez CF, while Guyo and Mukweva recently moved to FC Malaga City Academy and CD Almunecar, respectively.

The four players are all products of Harare’s Aces Youth Soccer Academy.

They are now in the company of another promising Zimbabwean player Muchemwa, who is set to be nurtured and groomed at MV8 Football Academy in his journey of turning into a fully-fledged professional.

MV8 Football Academy said their philosophy is about trying to create individual strategies for individual players.

“We are very passionate at MV8 Football Academy and we strongly believe that if you love what you do, you will overtake any obstacles that you will face to fulfil your dream,” the academy said on their official website.

“At the MV8 Football Academy, we focus on individual development. Through individual coaching and individual programming, we believe that players need to have their own daily routine to be able to continuously and consistently grow and evolve. 

“We endeavour to produce young players with the skills, qualities and attributes needed to play professional football at the highest level.

“Our philosophy is based on guiding, supporting and pushing the players to be and become more. To get to their next level, through a detailed and effective programme. We have created a competitive environment where all the players will be stimulated to constantly get better.

“We identify where the players need to improve, in that specific time of their development. The academy programme encourages each player to reach his full potential as he passes through the development phases. Our methodology works on all important football aspects.”

When contacted by The Herald yesterday, Muchemwa’s father and manager, Bernard, said he was happy that his son had made the grade at MV8 Football Academy, and he hoped that his stint there will go a long way in helping him to turn into a professional footballer overseas.

“Munya left Zimbabwe for Australia when he was two-years-old and he has a passion for football,” said Bernard Muchemwa from his base in Sydney, Australia.

“He is an attacking-minded player and it is my hope and dream that he will one day become a fully-fledged professional player in one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

“His attachment at MV8 Football Academy will give him an opportunity to develop his game under highly licensed and experienced coaches. At the academy, they play football seven times a week.”

In Australia, Bernard Muchemwa is also heavily involved in junior football, and runs a number of developmental programmes for young players, especially those whose parents are from Zimbabwe.