Baltemar Brito, a former Highlanders coach, is apparently putting himself forward for the coaching post of Zimbabwe’s senior men’s national football team.
In November, the Brazilian, who was the Warriors’ interim coach the previous year, managed two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Nigeria.
The ZIFA Normalisation Committee recently issued a call for applications for the coaching position. The chosen applicant will be responsible for managing the team’s programme, leading the Warriors, and getting them ready for a number of upcoming competitions, such as the COSAFA tournaments, the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
In a NewsDay story, a source in the local football hierarchy disclosed that Baltemar Brito had applied to the Warriors, indicating his intention to go back to Zimbabwe. According to the source:
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“Brito made a request. He desires to return to Zimbabwe. I believe that his desire in Zimbabwe outweighs his recent interview invitation to join the Cameroon national squad. He has always intended to complete the task he began in Zimbabwe.”
In September 2023, Brito—who had previously been the coach of the Highlanders—was named the Warriors’ temporary head coach. In Rwanda for the Group C 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, he guided the squad to a two-point victory. But on December 31, his contract with ZIFA expired, and there was no offer for an extension.
Following that, Norman Mapeza, the coach of FC Platinum, was named the Warriors’ acting head coach. In March of this year, he guided the national team in a four-nation competition held in Malawi.
ZIFA stated in the job posting that the ideal applicant must be fluent in written and spoken English, have at least five years of senior international football experience, and hold either a CAF Pro Licence or CAF A Licence.
