The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE England national football team are nicknamed the Three Lions because of the three lions featured on the badge on the shirts worn by the players.
In short, England wear the badge featuring the three lions because they are representatives of the Football Association whose logo is the three lions crest.
Record FIFA World Cup winners, Brazil are fondly referred to as the Samba Boys and the term encapsulates a style of play and dancing culture shown in the way many Brazilians dribble, for example, moving slowly forward with minimal contact on the ball, which in itself is a reflection of samba dance.
Real Madrid, are called Los Blancos, a Spanish term that can literally be translated to mean “the White”.
The Spanish football club, which is one of the world’s best-known teams, with fans in many countries, is mainly known for playing in all-white uniforms, resulting in its nickname “Los Blancos”.
The list is endless!
Nicknames have always played an important role in the identity of any given football club or players and Zimbabwean football clubs are no exception.
While club nicknames of the yesteryear depicted some sense of dominance or supremacy over rivals, nicknames of today’s top-flight league clubs tend to be business oriented as they seem to speak more to the identity and nature of business of the club financier than anything else.
Black Rhinos – Chauya Chipembere
Black Rhinos is a team that has a rich history that stretches from the early 1980s.
Over the years, Chauya Chipembere as the club is affectionately known, has proven to be one of the giants of Zimbabwean football.
Their nickname, which is a Shona translation of their English name, Black Rhinos, depicts dominance and an all-conquering attitude.
After all, Black Rhinos are known to be much more aggressive than the other rhino species.
Naturally, this gives a sense of superiority and verve to those who believe in the team’s capabilities on the field of play.
Bulawayo Chiefs – Amakhosi Amahle
When loosely translated Amakhosi Amahle means the beautiful king.
This is a nickname that must have been derived from their club name which has some semblance of royalty.
Literally, this might also speak to the club aspiration to dominate and rule.
Caps United – Makepekepe/ Green Machine
Yet another household name in domestic football competitions for generations.
Their nickname, Makepekepe must have been derived from the ghetto lingual phrasing of the prefix of their name.
The Green Machine, their second nickname which emerged later in their rich history, must have also originated from their green apparel.
Cranborne Bullets – The Hurricanes
There is a musical group called The Hurricanes that visited Zimbabwe in the late 70s and Cranborne Bullets, being bullets, they likened their virility and potential to destroy to the hurricane after the musical group’s name.
In fact, The Hurricanes were a household name in the region in the music industry of yesteryear.
Chicken Inn – Gamecocks
Even though cocks are not the rightful and apt depiction of dominance in the world of wildlife, the nickname Gamecocks must have been, by extension, a result of their sponsor’s trade.
Chicken Inn are in the fast foods industry, with the chicken and fries meal being their flagship dish.
Dynamos – DeMbare/Chazunguza
Arguably the country’s best supported outfit, their nickname must have emerged from their area of origin, which is Mbare high density suburb of Harare.
The team defied all odds to become the first local team to play in the Club Champions finals, losing to Asec Mimosa of Ivory Coast in 1998.
Their feat shocked the continent, hence the nickname Chazunguza.
FC Platinum – Platinum Boys/Pure Platinum Play
Platinum Boys, Pure Platinum Play are phrases that have been interchangeably used to mean Castle Lager Premiership champions, FC Platinum.
It is without a grain a doubt that both nicknames are in tandem with their financiers trade — platinum mining.
Sheasham – Construction Boys
Sheasham won promotion into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League when the Gweru-based club clinched the ZIFA Central Region Division One championship on the final match day of last season.
They were under the tutelage of former Chapungu gaffer, John Nyikadzino.
Their nickname, Construction Boys is derived from the construction company that bankrolls them.
GreenFuels FC – Ethanol Boys/Boys DzeNharo
Just like their peers who emerged in recent years, the newly promoted Castle Lager Premiership outfit is nicknamed Ethanol Boys owing to the production of ethanol by their parent company — GreenFuels.
Boys DzeNharo, an additional nickname to GreenFuels FC, can loosely be translated to meaning a sense of determination and invincibility on the field of play.
Herentals – The Students/Vabvamburi
Once again, this is a club whose nickname reflects the identity of the financier.
Herentals emerged among the crop of relatively new clubs in the top-flight league when it was promoted into the Premier Soccer League in September 2017 after being crowned Northern Region Division One champions with seven rounds of league matches to spare.
Their nickname, like most of the recently promoted clubs have something to do with their financiers’ line of business as the club is owned and bankrolled by education investors — Herentals Group of Colleges.
Their second nickname — Vabvamburi — speaks to ruthlessness on the field of play.
Highlanders – Bosso/Tshilamoya/Amahlolanyama
While Bosso has no attachment to the creation of the club or its origins, no one can deny that it has been a household name in domestic football.
Bosso, also known as Thsilamoya, can literally be translated to meaning an unmovable mountain, which can cause anxious moments to its enemies.
Highlanders have a third nickname in Amahlolanyama, which is also a reflection of identity in that it is actually a name of a bird that is black and white in colour.
Hwange – Chipangano
The club has a rich history that dates back to pre-independence era and over the years, Chipangano, as they are affectionately known produced numerous stars that roamed in our football fields.
The Colliery Stadium, home to Chipangano, has been a known as its fortress.
Oral history has it that the players congregated alone as one group “kupangana” excluded the coaches and agreed there was no way they would lose that particular match where they would be relegated if defeated.
They won 1-0.
From that day, they adopted the nickname Chipangano.
Coincidentally, at that time was also the title Chipangano of a popular song in the streets of Hwange.
Long back there was a local band that would sing in all night spots around the Colliery and they recorded a song, Chipangano.
Manica Diamonds – The Gem Boys
No doubt, this is a nickname that was derived from their sponsor’s line of trade.
The Gem Boys are bankrolled by Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and the team’s nickname is a depiction of the refined product that the club aspires to be on the field of play.
Ngezi Platinum – Madamburo
This is understood to have a literal meaning from the Shona word ‘kudambura’ — which means tearing apart.
However, Post Sport also understands that Madamburo is an executive House Boat that operates at the Lake Kariba.
Simba Bhora – Go Buju Go
This one speaks for itself!
Newly promoted Simba Bhora are owned by businessman, Simba Ndoro, apparently whose nickname is Buju, perhaps and highly likely from iconic Jamaican singer, Buju Banton.
Again, this is evidence of the new trend where club nicknames have a bearing on the identity of the owner or financier.
Triangle United – Sugar Sugar Boys
This is also an example of how nicknames of contemporary clubs come from the line of trade of their owners or sponsors.
Triangle FC are bankrolled by sugar manufacturing concern — Tongaat Hullets — hence the nickname Sugar Sugar Boys.
ZPC Kariba – Kauya Katuruturu
By far, the funniest and perhaps incomprehensible nickname to many, Kauya Katuruturu must have originated from an inflammation of the fingers or toes, generally of the last phalanx, terminating usually in suppuration.
It is so painful and such is the pain ZPC Kariba inflicts on its opponents.
Yadah Stars – Miracle Boys
Once again, this is also a nickname that has a bearing on their owner or financiers’ trade.
Owned by a religious entity, Yadah Ministries — whose name they carry — the nickname Miracle Boys must be a product of the larger than life episodes that are purportedly witnessed in church.
Such is the importance and relevance of nicknames to the crazy, but most loved, and yet to some, the most beautiful game of football!
