Tadious Manyepo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

WASHINGTON NAVAYA must be a man living his dream after an unforgettable 2025.

It’s a year that Navaya, given a chance, would want to live in for the rest of his life.

The TelOne striker didn’t only turn-around his football career in familiar Gweru environs, but he made a huge fortune too.

Navaya was last week conferred the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Soccer Star of the Year and completed a double after also walking away with the Golden Boot accolade after scoring 17 goals. His goals and assists helped TelOne finish the term in fifth place to become the most improved team from last season after they narrowly escaped relegation in 2024. And the 27-year-old picked up a total of eight individual accolades in the league throughout the season while also grabbing two for himself in the team.

The pieces have earned him over US$21 000 in prize money after taking home US$13, 875 for being the Soccer Star of the Year and Top Goal Scorer in the league.

For being the league’s best player, Navaya took home US$7 500, while US$6 375 was the prize he pocketed for the Golden Boot crown. Earlier in the season the former Highlanders striker picked up three PSL Player of the Month accolades for March, April and September with each one of those earning him US$750. And for each of the PSL season’s three thirds which Navaya finished as the top goal scorer, he picked up US$1 200 taking his total individual prize for the season to US$19 875 before winning at least US$1 000 for each of the two awards he collected at TelOne.

He was fittingly named the WI-FI Boys’ Player of the Year and also walked away with the Golden Boot prizes during the Gweru outfit’s end-of-year awards.

A product of the MaRhino 7 Academy, Navaya spoke glowingly of his 2025 season.

“It’s a year that I will forever remember as a successful one. It’s a season that turned out the way I never thought it would.

“I have had a not-so-ideal stay in the top-flight. So, I decided that I should rejoin TelOne to try and realise my potential.

“I got advice from those close to me and they actually spoke with one voice. That’s when I decided to rejoin TelOne last season.

“The year 2024 wasn’t a very good one, but my confidence levels crept back, thanks to coach Herbert Maruwa for his exceptional mental coaching skills.

“And this year, the coach actually told me that I would be the top goal scorer in the league. It did surprise me but that sort of pushed me to aim higher. The start was great and I never looked back.

“But the year 2025 will always be very close to my heart. It’s indeed been my breakthrough season.”

TelOne president Oscar Nduwure commended Navaya and hailed his executive committee.

“I think, as Navaya himself has said, the executive played a crucial role in helping the team attain a commendable fifth-place finish in the league. The fans also played a very good role and so did the technical team led by Herbert Maruwa and also the other players. “The ecosystem played a really critical role,” said Nduwure.

“I would like to congratulate the whole team and I would like to salute Navaya for also putting our team in the history books in this country. It will forever be remembered that a player who played for TelOne FC won the 2025 Soccer Star of the Year award.

“We are really happy and the Gweru community is also very happy.”