Benjani Mwaruwari

At 45 years old, Benjani Mwaruwari has this physical status:

Benjamin Mwaruwari (born 13 August 1978), also known as Benjani, is a Zimbabwean retired professional footballer who played as a striker. Benjani started his career with Jomo Cosmos in 2001 and joined Swiss side Grasshopper Club Zürich before moving to Auxerre a year later.

He joined Portsmouth in 2006 and went on to play in England's top flight for Manchester City, Sunderland, and Blackburn Rovers before returning to Portsmouth in 2011.

He returned to South Africa with Chippa United and then Bidvest Wits the following year. Benjani appeared for the Zimbabwe national team for a total of 31 times, as its captain for several of those matches.

He retired from international football in October 2010 to work on his club careers after being a member of the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.

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Club career

Benjani began his career with Lulu Rovers, Highlanders FC Juniors, Zimba Africa Rivers, University of Zimbabwe's Division one and Air Zimbabwe Jets in Zimbabwe's Premier League in 1999. After winning in the friendly match between South Africa and Zimbabwe that was held to celebrate Thabo Mbeki's ascension as South Africa's president, he moved to Jomo Cosmos in 1999.

In 2001, he was named PSL Player of the Season and PSL Player of the Season in South Africa.

In 2001, Benjani joined Grasshopper Club Zürich on loan. Guy Roux took him to Auxerre, France, in 2002. Benjani had a good start at the start, profiting from Djibril Cissé's absence, making him the top goalscorer in Ligue 1. Roux never joined Roux or the other teams together, and Benjani discovered himself overspending under Roux's successor, Jacques Santini, who was eventually kicked out of the 4–1 formation by Luigi Pieroni. When they defeated Paris St Germain, Benjani scored the first goal in the 2005 Coupe de France final. He appeared in the final two years as a substitute in the tournament two years ago. Portsmouth, an English Premier League club, purchased him from Auxerre for £4.1 million under new manager Arsène Wenger's instructions to Harry Redknapp on January 5, 2006.

This move from Auxerre to Portsmouth in January 2006 is one of those concerning which the Stevens inquiry into June 2007 sparked questions:

"Agent Willie McKay of the selling club acted for Auxerre in the transfer of Benjani and, for the same reason as above" (still waiting for details) "The probe is not equipped to authorize these transfers at this time."

"The probe into Benjani's transfer has also raised questions regarding (agent) Teni Yerima and (third party) Ralph N'Komo."

Benjani struggled to score in his first 14 games for the club, but he became a fan favorite due to his high workrate and assists for other players. In a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth on April 29, 2006, Benjani scored his first goal for Portsmouth against Wigan Athletic, which saw Portsmouth avoid relegation from the Premier League. Portsmouth beat Reading 7-4, beating Reading 7–4, which tied for the most goals scored in a Premier League match. Benjani, Portsmouth's top scorer, became the Premier League's top scorer after the game to Wigan on October 20th.

After failing a spot-kick in a home game against West Ham United, Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp barred Benjani from taking any further penalties. In the 4–1 victory over Newcastle United, he made amends for missing scoring, bringing his total number to eight for the season. He scored his ninth game of the season, but in a 4–1 loss at Liverpool, despite a consolation goal. In a 3–1 victory over Derby County at Fratton Park on January 19, 2008, Benjani earned his second Portsmouth hat-trick, scoring all of his team's goals. He boosted his season-to-date total number to 12, which resulted in him revising his goal for the season, which had been set at 10.

Benjani's goalscoring form in the first half of the 2007–08 season cemented Manchester City boss Sven-Göran Eriksson's fascination in the striker, and on January 31, 2008, he had a bid worth around £7.6 million for the player's transfer. However, it was revealed that Benjani had missed two successive planes to Manchester, implying that he did not arrive at the club's training ground until 11:10 p.m., leaving insufficient time to complete a move before the midnight deadline. Jermain Defoe of Tottenham Hotspur had already confirmed the signing of Benjani's replacement Jermain Defoe from Tottenham Hotspur.

Benjani's transfer was completed and he moved to Manchester City on February 5, 2008, for a two-and-a-half year contract. If the player makes up to 75 senior starts, further payments could be made, potentially raising the price to a total of £7.6 million. His salary was reported at £50,000 per week for his debut on February 10th, 2008, a 2–1 victory over City over rivals Manchester United. In his first Manchester derby, he scored his second goal from a header. In a post-match interview, Benjani refused to celebrate after the game out of respect for his former team Portsmouth, but the club and its supporters had been so generous to him. In the 3–2 home loss against Fulham, his next goal came in the 3–2 loss.

Benjani made a goal scoring return for the reserves before turning on as a second half replacement, scoring what would be the winning goal in City's 3–2 victory over Twente. With an away goal against Schalke 04. He scored again in the UEFA Cup. Since being found to have breached transfer laws, his former club Portsmouth was fined £15,000 for his transfer to and from the club.

In August 2009, Benjani began talks with Hull City over a transfer to the club, but talks were stopped because he was unable to reach personal terms. He was also linked to former Portsmouth, West Ham and Stoke City of the Premier League and League Two club Notts County.

Benjani played his first game of the 2009-10 season against Middlesbrough on January 2, 2010, when he scored his first goal just before halftime in a 1–0 win.

It was announced on June 8, 2010, that Benjani's deal had ended and that he would leave the club, along with Sylvinho, Karl Moore, and Martin Petrov.

After the Premier League informed Benjani that the paperwork had been completed by the transfer deadline, the Benjani stayed on loan until the end of the season. Benjani will not be given a permanent contract, not Steve Bruce, who confirmed it on May 18, 2010.

After a month of being a free agent and considering his options, Benjani revealed that he was training with Premier League side Blackburn Rovers in the hopes of securing a long-term deal with the club. He signed a one-year contract with Blackburn on August 27th, with the possibility of a further year at Ewood Park. In the 65th minute of the game, he made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Fulham at Ewood Park. In the third round of the League Cup, he made his Blackburn debut against Aston Villa on September 22nd. In Blackburn's home game to Chelsea on October 30, he scored the first goal, a glancing header, in a 2–1 loss playing 46 minutes and being substituted by fellow striker Jason Roberts. In a 1–1 draw against West Ham on December 18, he made his 10th appearance for the club as a substitute. He missed a great shooting opportunity against West Ham, captain and New Zealand skipper Ryan Nelsen, who also sliced it, but in the end he scored with the ball deflecting in off his thigh. In a 3–1 win at Ewood Park on January 5, 2011, he scored two goals against Liverpool.

Benjani left Rovers on July 21 and left the club on July 21. He began training with Stockport County, a former Manchester City teammate of Benjani's former Manchester City teammate Dietmar Hamann in August 2011.

Benjani had re-signed for Portsmouth on August 13, 2011, his 33rd birthday. He was introduced to the audience at Fratton Park before the Championship match against Brighton & Hove Albion after signing a one-year contract. On August 16, 2011, as a 75th-minute substitute, he was playing against Reading in his first match. In a 3–2 loss to Peterborough United on Saturday, he scored his first goal in his second spell for Portsmouth in his second spell. Benjani, on the other hand, was less effective under new manager Michael Appleton and was unable to show his form in his previous time as he did in Portsmouth. Benjani was not offered a new deal after a slow season and was then released. Benjani sent a letter to Portsmouth fans after his release: "Italian Benjani sent a goodbye," Benjani wrote.

Benjani had joined Supersport United on a one-year contract, according to the website on October 1, 2012. The agreement was later shelved.

Benjani had signed Chippa United on a free transfer until the end of the season, according to the paper on February 27th. Lukanyo Mzinzi, the head of communications, confirmed Benjani will move to Chippa, and that they have the option to renew Benjani's deal, which will come to an end at the end of the current season. He made his Kaizer Chiefs debut on March 6, 2013. He was the head coach for Evercreech Rovers in the Mid-Somerset football league in 2020.

International career

Benjani is a former Zimbabwe national team captain, having taken the armband from former Coventry City, Birmingham, Sheffield United, and Huddersfield Striker Peter Ndlovu when he resigned from international football following the 2006 African Cup of Nations. He is the third Zimbabwean to play in the Premier League after goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, who played for Liverpool, and Peter Ndlovu, who played for Coventry City and Sheffield United among others.

During the 2006 African Cup of Nations, Benjani sponsored the senior national team's stay in France while preparing for the competition.

Following Zimbabwe's 0–0 draw with Cape Verde, Benjani resigned from international football on October 11, 2010. He has earned 24 international caps, scoring four goals.

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