If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably watched Lionel Messi dribble past five defenders like they’re standing still, or Cristiano Ronaldo leap higher than a mopane worm to score a header. These guys don’t just rely on talent—they work hard. And I mean really hard.
In the English Premier League, La Liga, or the Champions League, every detail of a player’s game is tracked:
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Kilometres run? Logged.
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Pass accuracy? Measured.
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Chances created? Counted.
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And thanks to VAR, the refs can’t even give you a dodgy penalty without a thousand cameras watching.
It’s like watching a high-tech machine, every gear moving perfectly in sync.
Now, Let’s Take a Trip Back to Zimbabwe****
Here, clubs like Dynamos, CAPS United, FC Platinum, and Ngezi Platinum are a bit different.
Before a game, they don’t go to a high-tech training facility or sports science lab. Nope. They go KwaTerry in Mhondoro, Ngezi, or somewhere in the countryside, feast on sadza and road runner, then head to the pitch.
And here’s the truth: If you get five consecutive passes during a game, it’s nothing short of a national holiday!
Watching the game can be like watching a group of friends trying to play football for the first time after a long drinking session — entertaining but, frankly, a bit boring.
No Tracking, No Data, No Professionalism****
The real difference between Zimbabwean football and the international pros? The professionals train daily, with data analysts tracking every move. They know exactly how many metres a player ran, how many passes were completed, and even the likelihood of scoring from a corner.
Our local clubs? They rely on gut feelings and the occasional pep talk from the coach. If you hear stats mentioned, it’s probably just,
“Zvinoita here nhasi?” (Are you ready today?)
There’s no GPS tracking the players, no video analysis, and definitely no VAR.
What Does This Have to Do With Sales?****
Think about sales teams in big companies overseas. Every call is tracked, every meeting documented, and every deal analyzed to improve the next one.
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe:
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Sales calls happen when the phone is free.
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Meetings might just be “let’s have a quick catch-up over tea.”
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And deals? Well, sometimes you don’t even know if you’re close to closing or just chasing shadows.
It’s the same story: professionals run on data and discipline, amateurs run on hope and prayer.
So, What’s the Lesson Here?****
If you want to be a Messi or Ronaldo in sales or football, you need to:
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Train daily (not just once in a while).
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Track everything (yes, even that awkward cold call).
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Use data to improve (even if it means admitting you missed a few goals).
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And eat your sadza, but maybe not before the big game.
Zimbabwean football might not have the technology or professionalism yet, but the talent is definitely there.
The same goes for our businesses and sales teams. Imagine if we tracked our calls and meetings the way Premier League clubs track player stats. Maybe then, getting five passes in a row would be as normal as having sadza for lunch.
