By Varaidzo Matope
Herentals FC is taking Zimbabwean football development to another level, rolling out one of the country’s most extensive multi-team, multi-city talent identification programmes under the leadership of club president Innocent Benza.
A staggering eight Herentals Division Two teams, drawn from Harare, Ruwa, Chinhoyi, Mutasa, Kadoma, Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo are participating in the talent scouting tournament. The academy’s footprint stretches even further with the inclusion of the Herentals Victoria Falls Division One side and the Herentals Premier League boys’ team.
The women’s game is equally represented, with the Queens teams, Herentals Premier, Herentals Division One, Herentals Mutasa and Mutare Polytechnic, all taking part as the institution doubles down on promoting girls’ football.
According to organisers, the tournament is designed not only to unearth emerging stars but to promote top performers into the senior Premier League and Division One teams, across both the men’s and women’s structures.
Football stakeholders say the scale of the project demonstrates Benza’s growing influence and commitment to national football development, as the Herentals network now spans nearly every region in Zimbabwe.
“This is no longer just a club, it’s becoming a national football ecosystem,” one official noted. “The number of teams involved shows a deliberate investment in building Zimbabwe’s next generation of players.”
With strong representation across provinces and clear pathways for promotion, Herentals’ latest initiative cements its status as one of the most ambitious player development projects in the country.
