BY OnSport Reporter
BELGIUM-BASED Warriors striker Bill Antonio is happy to be back in the senior men’s national team and is training with the rest of the squad in Morroco as they prepare for the two friendly matches against Burkina Faso (Friday) and Niger (Tuesday) in Casablanca.
Antonio has not been part of the squad due to injury and it’s his first time to be part of the team under coach Michael Nees ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations to be played from December 21 to January 18 2026
“It’s good to be back. It’s been a long time with the injury and everything, but I’m grateful that I’m back now with the guys. There are a couple of faces that I know from the previous time I was here and new faces but it’s good to be back with the guys and I’m enjoying every moment with them. It’s been a while since I’ve been here. Now it’s just up to me, you know, to try to help the team and also integrate with the team,” Antonio said.
The former Dynamos’ gunman said it is all about collective effort.
“There are a couple of new faces in the squad, so some guys I know and some don’t know me. It’s about integration and enjoying, also playing football with the guys. It’s up to me as an individual and it’s up to us as a team also, but I think it’s the target of everyone, you know, helping the team because at the end of the day, football is a collective sport, so at the end of the day, you know, you might have individual objectives but the collective objectives, those are the ones that come first,” he said.
Antonio says it is good to be back with the national team and appreciates coach Nees for recognising him.
“When you have a long injury, it usually also takes time to be back but now I feel good, my body, my mind and everything so I feel good to be back on the pitch, especially to be back with the national team. At the end of the day, if you see the coach call you up for the national team he knows you have something that you have as a player that can help the team,” Antonio said.
He is back in the team together with German-based Jonah Fabisch, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, Tino Kadewere with new player Sean Fusire, who plays for Sheffield Wednesday in England.
Also new in the squad is Highlanders’ Mason Mushore who replaced injured Ngezi Platinum Stars midfielder Richard Hachiro with Terrence Dzvukamanja coming in for Prince Dube, who is also in the treatment room.
Warriors captains Marvelous Nakamba and Marshall Munetsi, Andy Rinomhota and Knowledge Musona are not part of the team in Morocco.
US-based defender Teenage Hadebe will captain the side in Casablanca.
