In Zimbabwe he was known as the ”Undertaker”; in France he is ”Benjani”. When he played in South Africa he was known by his real name, Benjamin Mwaruwari.
The Harare-born player (24) has set alight every league he has played in — getting the ”Undertaker” nickname for the many goals he scored that ”buried” the opposition.
He’s now scoring freely for French side Auxerre, both in the domestic and in the European champions’ league. So far he has scored seven goals in nine appearances — most after coming off the bench.
Speaking from Holland just before Wednesday’s game against PSVEindhoven, Mwaruwari said he did not expect to score so many goals so quickly. ”My target was 12 to 14 goals for the season but since I have already scored seven my target has now become 17 goals.”
A 0-3 loss to PSV ended Auxerre’s champions’ league campaign, though they could continue in the Uefa Cup.
His early love was athletics, not soccer and he was one of the best sprinters in his school. ”But my friends influenced me to play soccer and I started as a goalkeeper as there was none in their team. One day there was a shortage of field players and I was asked to be a striker. Since then I have never looked back,” said Mwaruwari.
He first appeared for Magwegwe Secondary School and played his first professional match for the Air Zimbabwe Jets. Jomo Sono, coach and owner of Jomo Cosmos, quickly signed up the youngster after he caught the eye playing for Zimbabwe against South Africa.
He was in devastating form in South Africa, scoring seven goals in his first 15 appearances in the first season. The following season Mwaruwari went on to score 13 goals in 30 appearance — six shy of countryman Gilbert Mushangazikhe, who won the top goal scorer award.
Mwaruwari’s skills did not go unrecognised however, as he was named the South African Premier Soccer League’s player of the 2000/ 2001 season.
At Cosmos his status grew, and he moved to Switzerland to play for the Zurich Grasshoppers — where he scored four goals in his five appearances for the team.
Mwaruwari has turned the French league on its head despite not speaking the language or knowing anyone inFrance.
The French league is not the only place the young Zimbabwean has impressed, he also scored in his team’s 1-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the champions’ league.
Back home Mwaruwari has bought a house in Bulawayo’s Hillside suburb for his parents and five siblings. The house has a satellite dish so that they can keep up with the latest European soccer news and watch his champions’ league games.
He has bought his parents a house in Hillside, Bulawayo.