Zimbabwe appoint Ramon Català as new Warriors head coach

Zimbabwe have appointed Spanish coach Ramon Català as the new head coach of the senior national team, with the 65-year-old taking charge as the Warriors prepare for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) confirmed Català’s appointment on Thursday as part of a wider restructuring of the country’s national-team coaching set-up. He will be assisted by CAPS United coach Takesure Chiragwi, who has been retained from the previous technical team.

Català succeeds the interim arrangements that followed the departure of Romanian coach Marian Marinica earlier this year.

Kaitano Tembo had been overseeing the Warriors on a temporary basis but has now been moved to the Zimbabwe Under-20 team as part of the reshuffle.

The new coach arrives with more than three decades of experience in football, having worked across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

He has held coaching and technical roles with clubs including Celta Vigo, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza and Espanyol, while also gaining experience in Qatar, Japan, Ukraine and Libya.

Català’s background has largely been in fitness and technical development, although he has also worked as an assistant coach and held senior football-management positions.

His international experience includes work with Nicaragua and Libya, where he served as technical director and briefly took charge of the national team in 2022.

He holds a UEFA Pro Licence and is now being tasked with turning his extensive international experience into results with the Warriors.

His immediate priority will be Zimbabwe’s preparations for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, with the team facing a demanding continental campaign.

The Warriors are scheduled to begin their qualifying programme in September, giving Català limited time to establish his methods and assess his squad.

Chiragwi’s appointment is expected to provide continuity within the national-team set-up. The CAPS United coach has previously been involved with the Warriors and worked as an assistant to Marinica before taking on interim responsibilities.

Català will also work alongside fellow Spaniard Marc Sánchez, who has been appointed to the Under-23 set-up, while Vicente Girona Izquierdo is also part of the senior technical structure.

ZIFA’s appointments form part of a broader attempt to establish a coordinated coaching system across Zimbabwe’s national teams.

ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi said the changes were designed not only to deliver immediate results but also to support the association’s longer-term “Dream 2030” vision.

The Warriors’ new coach therefore faces a dual challenge: delivering competitive performances in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers while helping establish a stronger technical foundation for Zimbabwean football.

For Català, the appointment represents a major opportunity to make his mark at international level.

His first competitive assignment will come with expectations of guiding Zimbabwe back among Africa’s leading national teams and building a side capable of competing consistently on the continental stage.

The appointment also marks the beginning of a new era for the Warriors, with ZIFA hoping that the combination of Català’s international experience and local knowledge from coaches such as Chiragwi can provide the stability needed for the national team’s next phase.