MOLDOVA-BASED defender Munashe Garananga has tipped the Warriors to do well in the World Cup qualifiers, which kick-off next month.
Garananga, who plays for Sheriff Tiraspol, received his first call into the national team camp currently underway in Harare as he hopes to make the squad for the World Cup qualifiers.
The 22-year-old centre back has been enjoying his football in Moldova where his team is taking part in the Europa League alongside some of Europe’s top teams.
"Firstly I am grateful to get this national team call up because it’s my first time and it’s something I have been looking forward to from a young age. I am excited to play with the current crop of players because I used to watch them when I was young,” Garananga said.
“I think there is a good chance that we will do well because it's football. You can play against the best team in the world and if it’s your day it’s your day. "I don’t want to say we are the underdogs because we are not.
“We have a lot of good players in this team, who play at the highest level as well and the other teams have good players as well, so it’s going to be good matches to look forward to,” he said.
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The Warriors were drawn in Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and will compete with Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Benin and Lesotho for a ticket to the global showpiece.
Garananga believes the experience he has gained playing against Europe’s best players in the Europa League will come in handy for the country if he is selected.
“I think the experience from the European games that I have been playing this year is going to help me in the national team because I got to play with some top players in the Europa League and it boosted my confidence. I just need to see how I will do with these guys here,” he said.
Sheriff have faced Bate Borisov from Belarus, Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, Slavia Praha from Czech Republic and Jose Mourinho’s Italian side AS Roma in the Europa League.
Garananga spoke about his meteoric rise, which saw him rise from South Africa’s second tier league to rubbing shoulders with top European sides.
“I don’t want to say I was lucky because there was a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but I got lucky as well. It was hard work and luck.
“It’s been amazing for me because two years ago I was playing in the Motsepe League in South Africa and now I am playing in the Europa League, it’s something that I didn’t expect, but this is football,” said Garananga