HARARE – The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has announced the appointment of Baltemar Brito as the new head coach of the senior men’s national team.
Alongside him, Bongani Mafume and Genesis Mangombe have been named as his assistants. This new coaching trio is expected to lead the Warriors until June 2024.
In a statement released on Thursday, ZIFA confirmed the appointments, stating, “The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is pleased to inform the nation that it has appointed Baltemar Brito as the head coach of the senior men’s team forthwith until June 2024. He will be assisted by Bongani Mafu and Genesis Mangombe.”
The newly appointed coaching staff will have little time to settle in, as their first assignment is already on the horizon.
The team, under their guidance, is scheduled to play a friendly match against neighboring Botswana at the end of this month.
Baltemar Brito braces for first assignment
“Brito and his assistants’ first assignment will be the invitational match to celebrate Botswana’s Independence Day on 30 September. Thereafter, they will have to begin working on creating a team to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in November,” explained ZIFA.
Despite their new roles, ZIFA clarified that Brito, Mafume, and Mangombe will continue to honor their existing contracts with their respective teams.
They will be on national duty during preparations for international matches, highlighting their commitment to the development of Zimbabwean football.
This move comes as part of ZIFA’s efforts to strengthen the national team and improve its performance in upcoming competitions, including the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
