Warriors head coach Michael Nees has urged for realistic expectations as Zimbabwe prepares to face Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Speaking on Wednesday while announcing the squad for upcoming matches against Benin (March 20) and Nigeria (March 25), Nees acknowledged the team’s difficult position in Group C. Zimbabwe currently sits at the bottom with just two points from four games, having drawn against Rwanda and Nigeria but yet to secure a victory.
Addressing Zimbabwe’s chances of qualification, Nees emphasized the need for a grounded perspective:
“We have to be realistic, but at the same time, we must make our decisions on the pitch rather than just talk. The challenge ahead is tough—Benin has been performing well and even qualified for AFCON. We are not in the best position, so there’s no point in lying to ourselves.”
Despite the daunting task, Nees pointed out that there are still 18 points up for grabs in the qualifiers.
“There’s still a long way to go, so we will take it one game at a time,” he added.
Nees is the third coach to take charge of Zimbabwe in the current World Cup qualifying campaign. The journey began under Baltermir Brito in 2023, who managed draws against Rwanda and Nigeria before handing over to Jairos Tapera. Under Tapera, Zimbabwe suffered defeats to Lesotho (2-0) and South Africa (3-1).
With qualification hopes fading, Nees also sees the remaining matches as an opportunity to prepare for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
“For us, these games serve a dual purpose—we want to improve our World Cup qualification standing while also using them to build the squad for AFCON,” he concluded.
