03/08/2026
Today In History: Ten Years since Mighty Warriors ๐ฟ๐ผ Made History at Rio
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The Date: 3 August 2016
Ten years ago today, under the guidance of coach Shadreck Mlauzi, the Zimbabwe Women's National Football Team stepped onto the pitch at the Arena Corinthians ๐๏ธ.
They became the first football teamโmen or womenโto represent Zimbabwe at the Olympic Games.
โฝ The Moment: 50th Minute
Trailing 2โ0 against global powerhouse Germany, the Mighty Warriors launched a fierce counter-attack. Rutendo Makore unleashed a powerful, stinging shot.
The German goalkeeper, Almuth Schult, could only parry the ball away.
Kudakwashe Basopo reacted with lightning speed, picking up the rebound and smashing it into the back of the net.
๐ง๐ท The Atmosphere: "Zim-ba-bwe!" ๐ฟ๐ผ
Though the match ended in a 6โ1 defeat to the eventual Olympic Gold medalists, the Arena Corinthians crowd completely fell in love with the underdogs.
The Brazilian fans spent the night chanting for Zimbabwe, giving the team a standing ovation for their relentless spirit.
๐ฃ๏ธ Coach Shadreck Mlauzi on the team's bravery:
โThe intention was never to just sit back. We wanted to be as competitive as we could. We made mistakes, but scoring against the worldโs best proves our potential."
Captain Felistas Muzongondi on the Brazilian fans:
๐ฃ๏ธโHearing the stadium chant 'Zimbabwe' gave us goosebumps. We lost the game, but we won the hearts of the people tonight.
๐ฃ๏ธGermany Coach Silvia Neid on Zimbabwe's resilience:
โZimbabwe surprised us with their physical strength and speed. They never stopped fighting, and they fully deserved their goal."
Zimbabwe Football AssZimbabwe Football AssociationeMinistry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culturen Commission Zimbabwe