Welcome back, today we will be looking at the top 10 most expensive football players in Zimbabwean history adjusted for inflation. For this list, we will look at the transfer cost of moving our local legends from one football club to another in blockbuster moves. However considering that earlier transfers were done in the 1980s, we adjusted these transfer fees to todays terms to compare how their fees would fare in today's dollar terms. To do this we did the follwing:
- Obtained the transfer fee figures from (www.transfermkt.com). These figures were in euros and we had to be converted to the USD using exchange rate on the date of transfer. NB: For Bruce Grobbellar and Peter Ndlovu, we had to search the GBP fees as the Euro was yet to be existant.
- After obtaining the USD equivalent, we then utelised an inflation calculator (www.usinflationcalculator.com) to inflation adjust the USD figure on that date to current terms. E.g., Bruce Grobbellar's transfer in 1981 means that a $1 then is worth $3.46 today. This will then become the factor used to adjust the calculated USD equivalent.
Now that we have explained the technical, lets get to it.
Number 10
Name: Tendai Darikwa
Transfer price: USD 1,639,475.00 (USD 1,280,840.00 unadjusted)
Move: Burnley to Nottingham Forrest
Year: 2017
Tendayi Darikwa is a Zimbabwean footballer born in Nottingham, England, in 1991. Starting his career at Chesterfield, he later played for clubs like Burnley, Nottingham Forest, and Wigan Athletic. Notable for his transition from a right winger to a right back, Darikwa earned accolades at Chesterfield and later moved to Lincoln City in 2024. Internationally, Darikwa debuted for Zimbabwe in 2017 and has since represented the national team. His career highlights include winning Chesterfield's Player of the Year and playing key roles at multiple clubs.
Number 9
Name: Bruce Grobbellar
Transfer price: USD 1,810,013.00 (USD 523,125.00 unadjusted)
Move: Vancouver Whitecaps to Liverpool
Year: 1981
Bruce Grobbelaar, born in South Africa in 1957, is a former Zimbabwean goalkeeper, best known for his 13-year career at Liverpool (1981-1994). Renowned for his athleticism, eccentric style, and confidence, he won numerous honors, including six league titles, three FA Cups, and a European Cup. His antics during the 1984 European Cup final penalty shootout are iconic. Grobbelaar also played for Zimbabwe, earning 32 caps. His career was later marred by match-fixing allegations, but he continued coaching after retirement, including for Ottawa Fury.
Number 8
Name: Teenage Hadebe
Transfer price: USD 2,262,348.00 (USD 1,950,300.00)
Move: Y.Malatyaspor to Houston
Year: 2021
Teenage Hadebe is a Zimbabwean footballer born on September 17, 1995. He began his professional career with Bantu Rovers in Zimbabwe before moving to Highlanders, Chicken Inn, and later South African side Kaizer Chiefs. Hadebe also had successful stints in Turkey with Yeni Malatyaspor and Konyaspor. Internationally, he has represented Zimbabwe at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Known for his defensive strength, Hadebe is recognized for his contributions to both club and country.
Number 7
Name: Knowledge Musona
Transfer price: USD 2,994,600.00 (USD 2,139,000.00 unadjusted)
Move: Kasier Cheifs to TSG Hoffenheim
Year: 2011
Knowledge Musona, a Zimbabwean footballer born on June 21, 1990. A versatile left winger or forward, he has had an extensive career in South Africa, Germany, and Belgium. Musona is celebrated for his time at Kaizer Chiefs and Anderlecht, as well as his contributions to the Zimbabwe national team, where he served as captain before retiring from international football in 2022. Known for his impressive goal-scoring ability, Musona remains one of Zimbabwe’s top football talents.
Number 6
Name: Macauley Bonne
Transfer price: USD 3,151,016.00 (USD 2,582,800.00 unadjusted)
Move: Charlton Athletic to Ipswich
Year: 2020
Macauley Miles Bonne, born October 26, 1995, is a Zimbabwean-English footballer currently playing as a forward for Southend United in the National League. Bonne began his career at Colchester United, scoring on his 18th birthday during his professional debut. He played for several clubs including Ipswich Town, Charlton Athletic, and Queens Park Rangers, scoring key goals throughout. He has represented Zimbabwe at both U23 and senior levels, debuting internationally in 2014 with a goal against Morocco. He recently joined Southend United in 2024.
Number 5
Name: Munashe Garananga
Transfer price: USD 4,765,200 (USD 4,765,000 unadjusted)
Move: KV mechelen to FC Copenhagen
Year: 2024
Munashe Peter Garananga, born on January 18, 2001, is a Zimbabwean footballer who plays as a centre-back for Danish Superliga club Copenhagen. After developing at Prince Eduard Academy and Ubuntu Cape Town, he moved to Dynamo Brest in 2022, followed by a transfer to Sheriff Tiraspol in 2023. In February 2024, Garananga joined K.V. Mechelen for €500,000. Later in July 2024, he signed with Copenhagen for a reported €4 million, agreeing to a four-year contract.
Number 4
Name: Peter Ndlovu
Transfer price: USD 5,294,509 (USD 2,701,280)
Move: Coventry ot Birmingham
Year: 1997
Peter Ndlovu, born on February 25, 1973, is a Zimbabwean football coach and former player. He gained fame as a striker, most notably in the English Premier League with Coventry City. Ndlovu was the first African footballer to play in the Premier League and also represented clubs like Birmingham City, Sheffield United, and Mamelodi Sundowns. He earned 81 caps and scored 37 goals for Zimbabwe's national team. After retiring, Ndlovu transitioned into coaching and became team manager of Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa.
Number 3
Name: Benjani Mwaruwari
Transfer price: USD 11,069,136.00 (USD 7,095,600 unadjusted)
Move: AJ Auxerre to Portsmouth
Year: 2006
Benjani Mwaruwari, born August 13, 1978, is a former Zimbabwean professional striker. His career spanned from South Africa's Jomo Cosmos to European clubs like Grasshopper, Auxerre, Portsmouth, Manchester City, Sunderland, and Blackburn. He played 31 times for Zimbabwe's national team from 1999 to 2010 and captained the squad at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. After retirement, Benjani became an assistant coach for Zimbabwe's national team and is now part of Plymouth Argyle's academy through the Premier League player-to-coach initiative.
Number 2
Name: Tino Kadewere
Transfer price: USD 12,426,080.00 (13,464,000.00 unadjusted)
Move: Le Havre to Olympic Lyon
Year: 2020
Philana Tinotenda "Tino" Kadewere, born on January 5, 1996, is a Zimbabwean footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Ligue 1 club Nantes and the Zimbabwe national team. He began his professional career at Harare City before moving to Sweden's Djurgårdens IF in 2015. Kadewere later joined French club Le Havre and subsequently signed with Lyon in 2020. After loan spells with Mallorca and Nantes, he transferred permanently to Nantes in 2024. Internationally, he has represented Zimbabwe across multiple youth levels and debuted for the senior team in 2015.
Number 1
Name: Marvellous Nakamba
Transfer price: USD16,523,040.00 (USD 14,244,000.00 unadjusted)
Move: Club Brugge to Aston Villa
Year: 2021
Marvelous Nakamba is a Zimbabwean professional footballer born on January 19, 1994. Standing 177 cm tall, he plays as a midfielder. Nakamba currently represents Luton Town in the Premier League. His career includes previous stints at Aston Villa, where he had a notable role from 2019 to 2023. Nakamba's playing style is characterized by his defensive midfield role, focusing on ball recovery and tactical discipline.
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