Mapeza’s Emotional Farewell Leaves FC Platinum Dressing Room in Tears

FC Platinum’s dressing room at Rufaro Stadium fell into emotional silence on Sunday as long serving head coach Norman Mapeza delivered his final address to players and staff, bringing to an end a decade that reshaped the identity and ambitions of the club.

Moments after their last match of the season against Dynamos, Mapeza gathered his squad for what began as a routine post match talk but quickly turned into a heartfelt farewell. As he spoke, players and technical team members broke down, overwhelmed by the realisation that the man who had guided them through their most successful years was officially stepping away.

Some staff could be seen wiping tears as Mapeza thanked them for standing with him through triumphs and battles, urging them to remain united and disciplined beyond his departure.

His goodbye speech echoed the journey that began in August 2014, when Mandava Stadium opened its doors to him, ushering in a new era of excellence for a club still defining its identity. From that first afternoon to the 360 matches that followed, Mapeza transformed FC Platinum into a powerhouse of Zimbabwean football.

Under his watch, the Midlands side collected:

• 3 PSL Championship titles

• 3 Castle Challenge Cups

• Chibuku Super Cup

• Uhuru Cup

But his legacy extends further than silverware. Mapeza built a culture anchored in discipline, belief and professional standards that turned FC Platinum into the gold standard of local football. He nurtured young talent, uplifted the Zvishavane community and stamped an unmistakable Platinum identity on and off the pitch, combining flair with grit, calm authority with relentless ambition.

Players describe him as a mentor, a father figure, and “Muchina weMajuzi”, a machine of consistency and football intellect. His passion on the touchline and the roar of Mandava became symbols of a club that dared to dominate and dream, even on the African safari.

As the emotional scenes at Rufaro showed, this is not just the end of a contract, it is the closure of a historic chapter. A decade that shaped careers, united a community and wrote some of the boldest lines in Zimbabwean football history.

“Once a Platso… Always a Platso,” the club motto goes. And for FC Platinum, one truth now stands unshakable: