The Zimbabwe Football Association has left the door open for star midfielder Andy Rinomhota to return to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after he withdrew from camp in Morocco for family reasons.
Despite his departure, head coach Mario Marinica has not called up a replacement, keeping alive hopes the key player could still feature in the tournament.
In an official statement, the association said: “The Association announces that the player of the Zimbabwe men’s national team, Andy Rinomhota, has requested to be excused from the current national team camp due to special family circumstances.” It added: “After consulting with the player, the technical staff and the Association agreed to the request in a way that serves the interests of all parties, and the Zimbabwe Football Association expresses its respect and support for the player’s decision, and values the professional way in which the matter was handled.”
The statement concluded: “Andy Rinomhota remains part of the senior national team list, and the Association looks forward to his return as soon as these circumstances end, and calls for respecting the privacy of the player and his family during this period.”
Zimbabwe face Egypt on Monday at 10 p.m. at Adrar Stadium in Marrakesh in their opening group-stage match at AFCON 2025, where they are drawn with Egypt, Angola, and South Africa.
