ENGLAND-BASED Warriors star Tawanda Chirewa announced his arrival on the international scene with a dazzling performance in the national senior football team's 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Tuesday although they went on to lose the game to the hosts.
The 20-year-old scored Zimbabwe’s consolation goal in the country’s pitiable 3–1 defeat to Bafana Bafana at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
It was the forward’s second appearance in the national colours after making his debut in another embarrassing 2–0 defeat to Lesotho last week.
Chirewa is currently the only Zimbabwean player in the English Premier League (EPL) where he plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Born in Essex , England, to Zimbabwean parents , Chirewa made his name at Ipswich Town where he made his debut on November 12, 2019, appearing as a second-half substitute in a 0–1 away loss to Colchester United in an EFL Trophy group stage match.
At the time he was the second youngest player to make his first-team debut for the club, after Connor Wickham, at 16 years and 31 days old.
Chirewa signed his first professional contract with Ipswich in November 2020, signing a deal until 2022, with the option of an additional year's extension.
In September last year, EPL captured the young prodigy, who joined the club's Under-21s side and quickly impressed first team coach Gary O’neal who gave him his senior team breakthrough as a second-half substitute, in the FA Cupaway to Brentford in January this year.
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In the same month, Chirewa made his Premier League debut, as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 draw away to Brighton & Hove Albion.
In March 2024, Chirewa was called up by the Zimbabwe national senior team for the Four Nations Tournament in Malawi but requested to be excused to concentrate on club football.
“I just want to make a quick message to the fans and the great people of Zimbabwe and let everyone know that I’m honoured and proud to be called to Zimbabwe and how sad I am to withdraw from the national team camp.
“I am really excited about the call, but I feel that I need to first solidify my place at Wolves so that when the next assignment comes, I’ll be an established Premier League player and ready to take us (Zimbabwe) to the World Cup,” Chirewa said at the time.
Chirewa started the game against Lesotho and played 68 minutes and made his second start against South Africa and opened his goal account with an equalizer in the second minute.
