Zimbabwe has a strong football heritage. This is proudly shared with the world through the international broadcasts of local games as well as through participation in African and global football tournaments, all of which are televised by MultiChoice’s Zimbabwe’s SuperSport channels.
Zimbabweans too, get to enjoy the very best of world football here at home on our TV screens thanks to SuperSport, with every match of every major international soccer and African league being broadcast in Zimbabwe.
SuperSport has been uniting Zimbabwean families and soccer lovers for over 20 years, and is today known as the home of sport and the ultimate destination for football fans. One of those fans is Zim’s most-loved football idol, Alois Bunjira.
Now retired from professional football, Alois played for the Zimbabwe national team at Under 20, Under 23 and senior team levels. The soccer star, who was born in Honde Valley and grew up in Chitungwiza, also played for teams in the USA, Poland, Slovakia and South Africa.
Today he is a sportscaster at Zi-FM Stereo, a football analyst for ZTV and presents a football TV show called In Touch With a Legend on Zim Soccer Net. He is the founder of the Albun Soccer Academy where he coaches football, and assists children in need through the Alois Bunjira Foundation, which secures tuition funding and scholarships for academically strong learners whose parents cannot afford school fees.
“I was very strong academically when I was at school, so I understand the difficulty facing so many children who are talented but lack the funding needed to continue their schooling. My family pushed me to be an academic. I could have been an engineer too, as I was offered a scholarship to study mechanical engineering at Western Kentucky University in USA. But I dropped out of university after only one year to pursue professional football. I have had a deep-seated passion for soccer since I was six years old when I started playing organised football. I always wanted to be a professional footballer; it was my dream,” Alois says, adding that a SuperSport-sponsored trip to Germany in 2013 fuelled this passion even further.
The five-day tour for six Zimbabwean sports journalists to the Bundesliga, Germany’s primary football competition, formed part of SuperSport’s investment to develop the careers of Zim football writers and commentators.
“That trip was out of this world. It was my first time visiting Germany, and what an eye-opening experience it was! I learnt a lot about football, and saw first-hand how the Bundesliga and the sports media reporting on it, were run. The seminars with various departments of the Bundesliga were fascinating, and revealed exactly why Germany is such a formidable force in global football. Catching a glimpse into the 10-year plan that culminated in Germany winning the 2014 World Cup was incredible! It represented the highest degree of planning and patience I think I’ve ever seen,” Alois recalls.
The highlight of the trip was watching a game between Augsburg and Borrusia Dortmund. Alois says the atmosphere in the stadium that day was electrifying, with the vociferous singing of well-known football anthems by supporters of both teams.
“I think Germany has the most vocal and passionate of all football fans once in the stadium! The country’s sporting media is also well respected, and its broadcasting is top notch. At the time we were told up to 72 cameras were deployed at each game to perfectly capture every angle! The yellow wall on the Dortmund side was in full force, and seeing it live was truly memorable. We were also treated to a delectable lunch at the VVIP lounge at the stadium and I must say even now, all these years later, I remember what a delicious meal it was. Ndakadya kusvika moyo wamira!” Alois laughs.
Seven years later and this experience has stayed with Alois. More than that, it has become the foundation on which the former midfielder has been able to augment his football administration and media knowledge.
“It was a life-changing experience that will serve me well in the future, as I dream of coaching a league championship winning team before venturing fulltime into football administration,” says Alois. “I can’t thank MultiChoice and SuperSport enough. When they say they take Zim football to the world, and bring the world of football to Zim, they’re not joking!.”
When not watching Caps United, Mamelodi Sundowns, Manchester United, Borrusia Dortmund, AC Milan and Lyon games on SuperSport, Alois enjoys catching up on the latest tennis, rugby and Formula 1 action. This is not only entertaining, but helps him stay up to date with developments in these sports.
He agrees DStv viewers have the best selection of football action in the world on their Channel of Champions. This festive season, the #HomeOfSport has secured an exciting line-up of sports programming, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League games.
