2020 will go down as a forgettable year after it brought some sad memories more than the exciting ones both on and off the field.

It all started well and the Warriors were preparing to resume their AFCON qualifying campaign with back-to-back games against Algeria, and a new technical team, led by Croat Zdravko Logarusic, had been appointed.

The 2020 Castle Lager Premier Soccer season was also setting up, and international football was reaching its peak.

Tinotenda Kadewere had signed for Lyon, and Marshall Munetsi getting an improved deal at Stade de Reims. Marvelous Nakamba was playing regular football at Aston Villa.

The locally-based national selection was also in camp for the 2020 CHAN finals.

But things started to fall apart in March, beginning with the acrimonious departure of Norman Mapeza at Chippa United.

The coronavirus pandemic then brought everything to a standstill to mark the longest disruption in football since World War II.

There was no action for four months, and in Zimbabwe, it stretched to October when the national team played a goalless friendly match against Malawi.

The trip to Blantyre, however, was marred by player withdrawals and the team only arrived there just a day before the tie.

The Algeria games which had been postponed in March were finally played in the following month, the same time the Real Betis International Academy was launched in Zimbabwe.

Off the pitch, the year claimed the lives of several football personalities including Dynamos assistant coach Biggie Zuze, superfan Freddy ‘Pasuwa’ Mugadza, ex-Highlanders gaffer Barry Daka, former Masvingo United owner Tanda ‘Mhunga’ Tavaruva, Gift ‘Guava’ Kamuriwo and lately Richard Choruma.