Dynamos Legend Launches revolutionary game

Murape Murape, a former Dynamos footballer, has introduced Funino – a game that has the potential to change the way young players are developed in Zimbabwe. Funino is designed to promote ball possession, attacking play, and more scoring opportunities, leading to a more engaging and strategic style of play.

The inaugural Funino 3 versus 3 festival attracted a variety of school-going children who participated in the event at Heritage High School. In Funino, each team has two goals to score and defend, improving their reading and understanding of the game, including peripheral vision, perception, and decision-making skills before executing any actions. The game also stimulates intelligence, perception, imagination, and creativity, more than any other traditional football game.

Goals can only be scored within a scoring zone located deep in the attacking zone, which forces players to possess the ball and build an attack instead of shooting from a distance. Each team consists of three players and a substitute, and players rotate after a goal is scored or after 2-3 minutes to ensure equal playing time.

Speaking on the sidelines of the festival, Murape Murape explained the significance of Funino, which he first encountered in Spain. According to him, “This is a method they use to develop players. This concept is more about presenting solutions to young players to own the game. In Zimbabwe, from primary school level, kids play 11 versus 11, which is why our football has become a bit boring. This kind of format is like structured street football, so Funino could significantly stimulate the development of young talent.”

The festival was sponsored by Nova Energy, who demonstrated their commitment to playing a role in the nurturing of the next generation of talent. Tinashe Mavuka, the Logistics Manager at Nova Energy, stated that “At Nova Energy, in as much as we provide fueling solutions to the nation, we also value the communities we come from. We value the young generation because tomorrow they will be the future.”

Funino is recognized as the best football program for young children by many football clubs and schools. Horst Wein, the author of Funino, is known as “the coach of coaches” and has mentored and influenced over 12,000 football coaches in 56 countries worldwide during the last 28 years.