from MARCUS MUSHONGA in Harare, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Bureau
HARARE, (CAJ News) — ZIMBABWE have unveiled Spanish coach José Ramón Catalá Peiró as the new head coach of the senior men’s national football team, ushering in a new technical era as the Warriors target greater success on the continental stage.
The 65-year-old Catalá was officially presented in Harare on Thursday by Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) president Nqobile Magwizi, with fellow Spaniard Marc Sanchez and Zimbabwean coach Takesure Chiragwi joining his technical team.
The appointment comes as Zimbabwe prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and pursues ZIFA’s longer-term Dream 2030 project, which seeks to establish a coordinated pathway from junior football to the senior national side.
Catalá brings more than three decades of experience in European, African, Asian and Middle Eastern football.
He has worked with Spanish clubs including Celta Vigo, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, RCD Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano, predominantly as a fitness coach, while also serving as an assistant coach at Bulgaria’s Litex Lovech.
His international experience includes assistant-coaching roles with Nicaragua and Libya, while he later served as Libya’s sporting director and briefly took charge of the national side in 2022.
Catalá has also worked with clubs in Qatar, Japan and Ukraine, including Dynamo Kyiv’s academy.
Catalá is a UEFA Pro Licence holder, although available records show no senior professional playing appearances for him.
His background is instead rooted in physical preparation, technical development and coaching.
His brief spell as Libya’s interim coach produced one victory and one defeat in two matches, including a 2-1 win over Niger.
Accepting the assignment, Catalá said he was ready to embrace the responsibility of leading Zimbabwe and work with the country’s football structures to build a competitive Warriors side.
Magwizi said the appointment was part of a broader technical restructuring designed to create continuity across Zimbabwe’s national teams.
“As we prepare for AFCON 2027 and the World Cup dream 2030, it’s critical that we set all our systems,” Magwizi said.
Catalá’s immediate challenge will be transforming the Warriors’ potential into consistent results while building a team capable of competing against Africa’s best.
– CAJ News