Former Dynamos and Gunners striker Norman Maroto has died at a local hospital after a short illness. He was 40.
Maroto’s death was confirmed by Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) Secretary General Wonder Sithole on Friday morning. Sithole posted on X:
You could have said goodbye @NormanMaroto. Panyika pano tiri kutandara 💔💔💔. May your soul rest in peace, my friend.
He was the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe Communications Officer at the time of his death. A statement released by FUZ reads:
Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) would like to notify friends and all football stakeholders on the untimely passing of our Communications Officer, Norman Maroto.
A family representative told Soccer24 that Maroto complained of flu on Thursday afternoon and passed away this morning (Friday). Said the family representative:
He started complaining of flu yesterday afternoon and was admitted (at a hospital) yesterday. Shockingly, at around 1 AM this morning, he was gone.
Mourners are gathered at number 2360 Tynwald South, Harare.
Born on 11 July 1983, Maroto did his secondary education at Churchill High School in Harare.
Nicknamed “Lumumba”, Maroto is the last player to score more than 20 goals in a season in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League.
He scored 22 goals for the now-defunct Gunners Football Club in 2010 to clinch the Golden Boot.
Maroto started his playing career at Dynamos Football Club where he played for the club’s junior teams before breaking into the senior team in 2001.
In 2002 he was part of the famous Kidznet team under the guidance of Moses Chunga. He established himself as a trusted gunman for the club until an emotional departure from the club in 2005 mid-season when he joined Buymore and left Dynamos fighting relegation.
He would later rejoin Dynamos but the coaches then overlooked him and he joined Moses Chunga at Gunners Football Club where he managed to lead them to a league title at the expense of Dynamos and scored one of the goals against Dynamos in a title decider match in 2009.
Maroto later played for Motor Action, FC Platinum, and Chiredzi Football Club.
More: Pindula News