Tawanda Chirewa says he is eager to make a real impact for Zimbabwe at this winter’s Africa Cup of Nations, viewing the competition as a chance to earn lasting respect back home.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker has become an important part of the Warriors setup, scoring three goals in 11 appearances over the last year and a half. 

AFCON will mark his first major international tournament, with Zimbabwe heading into the event without injured captain Marshall Munetsi.

“We talk about AFCON a lot. He’s given me little insights on how it will be, but I’m buzzing for it,” he said.

Raised in England but proud of his Zimbabwean roots, the 22-year-old says representing his country on Africa’s biggest stage means everything to him, and he is determined to make his family and the nation proud. Chirewa feels confident that Zimbabwe can surprise many teams, and is focused on preparing well for his first major tournament to showcase the country’s quality.

“I believe that we’re going to shock a lot of countries and shock a lot of people with how we’re going to do, so I’m just trying to get myself as ready as I can.

“I know that this tournament is my first major tournament that I will have played in, so I just want to show the world how good Zimbabwe is.”

The tournament gets underway on Sunday 21st December, before 51 games decide the two teams which will battle it out in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on 18th January.

Twenty-four teams have been split into six groups of four, with Zimbabwe in Group B (alongside Egypt, South Africa and Angola) and Ivory Coast in Group F (alongside Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique).