By Sheldon Hakata
AT West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo lies one of the legendary Zimbabwe national team stalwarts Mercedes Nkila ‘Rambo’ Sibanda, the best right back that Highlanders and the Zimbabwe na- tional men’s football team has ever had.
Sibanda was affectionately known as ‘Rambo’ due to his strong and huge round muscles.
He had excellent ball control techniques, chest control, agility as well as quick reactions and movements that usually terrorised opponents. He was famous for overlapping from the right
back position and harassing goalkeepers with some long range efforts.
His presence could be felt in the defence as he cleared his lines with aplomb. ‘Rambo’ gave his everything for the team and was very comfortable with the ball. He rarely miscalculated.
Why he did not play in the five European divisions still boggles the mind — maybe it was due to lack of exposure.
Rambo a disciplined individual who always came early for practice as well as conducted individual training sessions. Born on February 4 1966 in the Mzi-
likazi suburb of Zimbabwe’s second largest city, Bulawayo, ‘Rambo’ was an
imposing and charismatic player on and off the pitch which endeared him to the fans.
He attended Lobengula Primary School where he was an avid sportsperson. At the tender age of 11, he joined the Mzilikazi Youth Centre, where he caught the eye of Highlanders scouts.
After a colourful spell at Mzilikazi Youth Centre, the pair of aspiring goal- keeper Sydney Zimunya and Sibanda joined the Highlanders juniors team. Before long they both proved their met- tle and were selected to be part of the
squad at Aberdeen City International Football Annual Festival, Scotland.
The special thing about this trip was that ‘Rambo’ was selected as captain. The iBosso youthful side, under the captaincy of Sibanda, wrote their own piece of history becoming the first African team to win the title. This was after the Bulawayo side went there as a last-minute replacement for a City Select which had failed to raise funds for the trip.
The red-hot iBosso outfit beat the fancied Australian team, Melbourne Select, 1-0. This was followed with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Italy. Hosts Aberdeenshire were disposed 3-0 for penultimate round.
The youthful iBosso side got the better of Group B and defending champions Rosslyn Sports of Scotland, thrashing them 3-0 in the semi-finals.
“We acquitted ourselves with distinction and that is when the nickname ‘Rambo’ gained prominence,” recalled Zimunya.
Zimunya, Willard Khumalo and Sibanda earned the moniker ‘the Bush Wackers’ after the famous American wrestling trio.
‘Rambo’ also had a dance with the national Under-20 team that won the COSAFA Youth Cup three times in a row.
The Under-20 side had seven Highlanders players in the cast of ‘Rambo’, namely Willard ‘Mashinkila’ Khumalo, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Ronny Jowa, Dumisani Nyoni, Dumisani Ngulube and Sydney Zimunya.
‘Rambo’s’ glittering career saw him becoming a permanent member of the Highlanders first team and the national team (The Dream Team) mostly under the German mentor, Reinhard Fabisch.
The late football legend was gifted with ‘mad’ soccer talent. His crowning moment was in 1987 when he was named Soccer Star of the Year. Sibanda had a brilliant 1986 season, scoring spectacular goals from long range and brilliant free-kicks alongside Khumalo.
Bosso swept all the silverware except the league title.
In 1988, a year after being crowned the Soccer Star of theYear, ‘Rambo’ guided iBosso to cup glory. They won the Independence Trophy, Heroes Cup, Castle Cup and the Rothmans Shield. Highlanders lost the Chibuku Trophy to perennial arch-rivals Zimbabwe Saints (Chauya Chikwata), thanks to a solitary goal from Jimmy Phiri.
Rambo was still on top of his game in 1990 when Highlanders won the league and cup double.
His presence and experience was still vital in 1993 when Tshilamoya won the inaugural PSL and, later, the BP Cup in 1994.
To cap his attributes, he had some telling passes.
Another Highlanders legend, Tobias Mudyambanje, had this to say about the late iBosso icon: “He was always a happy and inspirational player. Always punctual at training and even came early to do some individual sessions. That is why he was so good. Even during matches he gave his all.
“This was a guy who had a huge appetite, during meals, he would eat lots. Rambo disliked cooking but didn’t mind washing the plates.”
Mudyambanje added that Sibanda contributed to the success of Highlanders during his long spell with the club. He remembers a clash in 1986, when Highlanders won the Castle Cup after getting the better of Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium.
“With a 100 percent effort, he provided an assist during that match and that was the winner that I scored at Rufaro in that Castle Cup final,” recalls Mudyambanje.
Former Highlanders goalminder Johannes Sibanda described Mercedes Sibanda as a workaholic.
“He would go out drinkingbut would still surprise many of us by coming early for training. He would go to a secluded place to smoke and it was his staple when we were in camp,” added the former shot stopper.
Agent Sawu, a former Warriors and Dream Team mate, weighed in: “He was a hard tackler; gifted, box-to-box wingback and very effective venturing forward from his defending position.”
Eddie Muchongwe, a fomer Dynamos and CAPS United player, described Sibanda as “a natural footballer and we are yet to identify a similar player like Rambo”.
“He had everything it took to be a complete player — stamina, pace, ball control, ball distribution, vision, passing the ball, power in his legs . . . The list is endless.”
Rambo was a team player who coordinated well with his team mates, be it at club or national level. He played soccer with passion. The football fraternity won’t be the same without him.
The Patriot Sport caught up with Sibanda’s daughter Leonah, who revealed that she lived with her late father and grandfather Jonathan Sibanda at their family home in Mzilikazi for more than a decade.
“I can say that he was a down-to-earth character who got along with everybody regardless of social status or class. He was always in a jovial mood and fond of cracking jokes,” she said, recalling one morning when his best friends, Rahman (Gumbo) and Willard (Khumalo) came to visit him.
“My father climbed onto the roof of the house with his breakfast and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Angikho (I am not around)’!”
Leonah holds the Highlanders institution in high regard as they were there for them during their darkest hour.
“My grandfather and I thought we would face challenges in laying my father to rest, since there was no money. But when we called the iBosso executive, they understood our dire situation. They handled the entire burial process. They proved that they valued the immense contribution that my father made to the club till his retirement.
‘Due to the Highlanders Football Club’s providence during our father’s illness and his burial, the four of us vowed to always support the club. I am particularly an ardent supporter of Highlanders. I am always there at Barbourfields when iBosso play,” she said.
‘Rambo’ was one of the last of a great generation of players to keep the iBosso brand ticking. They made the Bulawayo giants stand tall in a decade of great football by Arcadia United, CAPS United, Dynamos, Black Aces, Olympics, Bulawayo Wanderers, Rio Tinto and Zimbabwe Saints.
‘Rambo’’s trademark ferocious free-kicks were a marvel to watch and beyond comparison. He could pack powerful shots and quality cross deliveries.
Mercedes ‘Rambo’ Sibanda was mistaken for a bully because of his energetic approach to situations.
We will miss the hilarious, flamboyant and charismatic ‘Rambo’ who played with so much tenacity and flair.
We have been waiting for 43 years for a successor but it is like we will have to wait forever.
May his dear soul rest in eternal peace!
