BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
US-BASED rising football star Farai Mutatu has been tipped to represent the Warriors in the near-future after he was picked by American football giants L.A Galaxy in the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft last week.
Mutatu was one of the 44 collegiate soccer players who participated in the 2021 Adidas MLS College Showcase held in North Carolina early last month.
Interestingly L.A Galaxy arranged for Mutatu’s Chiredzi-based parents Jane and Washington to make a surprise appearance and announce Farai’s selection by the club.
Mutatu has not seen his parents in person since 2014 when they moved back to Zimbabwe due to visa issues. Farai and his three siblings stayed behind.
He had no idea MLS had planned that appearance in advance.
“I am hoping he is going to continue working hard and be a star at L.A Galaxy which is a big club. We are so happy and I am sure he will be able to represent his country very soon, so we are excited,” Farai’s father Washington said during the telecast.
Mutatu joins two other Zimbabweans Teenage Hadebe and US-born right-back Edwin Munjoma in the US topflight league should he impress at his new club.
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Four other Zimbabweans – the legendary Vitalis Takawira, Joseph Ngwenya, Mkhokheli Dube and Mubarike Chisoni – have played in the MLS.
Mutatu is set to take up one of the Galaxy’s international spots.
Called into the Zimbabwe U-23s squad during his freshman year at Michigan State University Mutatu said he hoped to someday be brought into the Warriors first team.
“That’s definitely a goal,” Mutatu told the State Journal on Wednesday last week.
Born in Zimbabwe, Mutatu moved to the US in 2006 when he was about 6 years old, after his father was offered the opportunity to pursue a chemistry degree at Michigan State University.
Mutatu reflected on how his parents played a surprise role his MLS draft announcement
“I was the most surprised person in the room when I saw my parents’ faces on the screen and I think everyone in the room was just as surprised. It was definitely amazing and something I’ll remember forever.
“I was, honestly, even more surprised they were able to figure out how to use Zoom (for the draft) and get that together,” he joked.
Mutatu was in eighth grade in 2014 when his parents went back to Zimbabwe, seven years after the family relocated to Haslett from their native country.
Friends and family were proudly waving the Zimbabwe flag in the background Tuesday as they celebrated Mutatu’s selection.
Eventually, Jane and Washington got the audio working and spoke to draft host Andrew Wiebe about what Mutatu’s draft selection meant to them.
Although it has been eight years since they’ve interacted face-to-face, Mutatu and his parents still communicate via WhatsApp and FaceTime.
“It’s been a while, even since the last time we talked,” Mutatu said. “But we communicate a lot better now. Hopefully soon (I’ll see them).”
The forward had a breakout 2021 campaign for MSU, tallying 7 goals and 3 assists in 17 matches. He finished his Spartan career with 13 goals and 8 assists in 67 appearances.
Mutatu was scheduled to fly out to Los Angeles on Friday night as pre-season camp starts tomorrow.
