The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has appointed Mario Marinica as the new head coach of the Warriors, Zimbabwe’s senior men’s football team. Marinica, a Romanian coach with a UEFA Pro Licence, has 25 years of international experience across four continents. He’s worked with top clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool, and national teams in Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America.
The football mother body announced a press statement and lived to their promise to expeditiously find the fired Michael Nees’ replacement within the shortest possible time.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marian )Mario) Marinica as the new Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s Football Team, the Warriors, on a one year contract,” read the statement by the ZIFA Media and Communications department.
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi was full of praise of Marinica and reiterated the body’s commitment to building a competitive and sustainable football structure.
“We are delighted to welcome Coach Marinica to Zimbabwe. His wealth of experience, modern football philosophy, and proven results at international level make him the ideal candidate to lead the Warriors into a new era, His appointment reflects ZIFA’s commitment to building a competitive and sustainable football structure that delivers results both and off the pitch,” said the ZIFA president.
Marinica is an experienced coach who holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has 25 years of experience of international coaching across the globe, having worked in four different continents namely Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Coaching from South Bank University (England) and a Diploma in Management, making him the perfect fit for the job.
The new coach has worked with various top clubs, chief among them Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur (England), Internazionale Milano (Italy), AS Monaco (France) as well as Paraguay (South America), Mauritius. Malawi and Liberia (Africa) national teams.
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi praised Marinica’s modern approach and experience, aligning with ZIFA’s goals. The coach’s notable triumph came with the flames of Malawi, where the team reached the round of 16 at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, their best-ever finish at the tournament. While with Liberia, the team recorded the highest climber, 10 places up from 152 to 142 in the FIFA rankings in June 2024.
Throughout his career, Marinica has held several positions, including technical director, coach educator, performance consultant, and head coach — a feat worthy of his appointment to the Warriors’ technical department as head coach.
The Warriors are in Group B for the TotalEnergies 2026 AFCON tournament in Morocco, alongside Egypt, Angola, and South Africa. Marinica’s 2-year contract aims to boost Zimbabwe’s preparations for the tournament, happening from Dec 21, 2025, to Jan 18, 2026
