Dreams from my father: Jonah Fabisch walking in the footsteps of his father, legendary coach Reinhard Fabisch

One of the standout figures for Zimbabwe at their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 campaign is Jonah Fabisch. The lanky, astute midfielder has caught the eye with his industrious performances for the Warriors in the games against Egypt and Angola.

He has anchored play for Zimbabwe in a calm, yet composed manner, and the way he plays shows a man born into football. And, truly so. For Jonah, the game is heritage. He is the son of the late Reinhard Fabisch, the revered German tactician whose influence reshaped football in both Zimbabwe and Kenya, and whose legacy still echoes across the continent.

Reinhard Fabisch’s name is etched in African football folklore. In Kenya, he masterminded a footballing revolution, leading the Harambee Stars to the final of the 1987 All-Africa Games on home soil and leaving a blueprint that would inspire generations.

Later, he moved to Zimbabwe, coached from 1992 to 1994 before a short stay with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, and a second stint with Kenya would follow.

Fabisch unfortunately passed away in 2008 after a battle with cancer. However, 17 years down the line, his name has earned its shine once again, through his son Jonah. The lad was only seven years old when his dad passed away, but the influence he already had on his life was phenomenal.

Jonah’s football path was shaped by the man many called ‘coach’, but he called ‘dad’. For him, taking up a sport seemed an unavoidable occurrence. His dad was a legendary coach while his mum, a Zimbabwean, was an athlete, a revered 100m hurdler, who also once held the country’s national record.

“My parents have had a huge influence on my career. They have always supported me and helped me stay grounded. My father, especially, had a big impact on my football journey. He dedicated his life to football and to Zimbabwe, and growing up around that shaped me a lot. Their support has been key in helping me believe in myself,” Jonah said in an exclusive interview with CAFOnline.

Jonah was born in Kenya in 2001 during his dad’s second stint as Harambee Stars coach and spent his first few months in East Africa. He however relocated to Zimbabwe, then later to Germany, with his mother when the elder Fabisch moved to coach in the United Arab Emirates.

He had the choice to represent either Kenya (where he was born), Germany (his father’s land) or Zimbabwe (his mother’s land). Zimbabwe was the natural choice for the midfielder.

“I grew up mostly with my mother, and I have always felt a very strong connection to Zimbabwe. My father coached there and loved the country deeply. I always had this feeling inside me that if I ever had the opportunity to play international football, I would choose Zimbabwe,” Jonah discloses to CAFOnline.

He adds; “I was called up several times to the German youth national teams, but for my senior career my decision was clear quite early. With Kenya, I only lived there during the first months of my life, so I don’t have a strong connection. I had the option, of course, but I never really considered it.”

And now, Jonah is strutting out with the Zimbabwean Warriors and with two solid Africa Cup of Nation performances, his work is definitely getting noticed.

“Making my AFCON debut is very special. It marks the beginning of my journey at this level and it is a huge honour. Playing on Africa’s biggest football stage comes with a lot of emotion, but also a big sense of responsibility. It is something I will always remember,” Jonah describes.

Zimbabwe have so far picked a point from their campaign in Morocco, in their 1-1 draw with Angola. They lost their first game 2-1 to Egypt via a late goal from Mohammed Salah, but put in a performance that was hailed by many.

Jonah has described his first two games at Africa’s biggest stage as massive, and says he draws a lot of inspiration, lessons and confidence from the performances.

“Against Egypt, we were close to getting at least a point, or even winning the match, if we had avoided a few mistakes. The second game (Angola) was difficult at the beginning. Personally, I may have been a bit rushed at times, but as a team we defended most of Angola’s attacks well. Maybe we were missing a few centimetres, maybe a bit of composure. With that, we could have won the game,” he noted.

The Mighty Warriors will face South Africa in their final group match in Marrakesh on Monday evening, a must win game for them if the hopes of a Round of 16 are to suffice.

Even as Zimbabwe chase that piece of history, Jonah, who currently plays his club football in the German third division with Erzgebirge Aue, already has moments and lessons from Morocco that he will cherish for life; lessons that increase his ambition to be as great as his father, Reinhard Fabisch.

“I am extremely proud. Playing football, wearing this jersey and continuing, in a way, what my father started means a lot to me. His journey inspires me every day. He taught me respect for the game, hard work and passion, and that motivates me constantly,” Jonah concludes.