#DidYouKnow that Dynamos Football Club, Zimbabwe’s iconic “Glamour Boys,” was founded in 1963 by Sam Dauya? Dauya’s vision was to create a team for local black players in Salisbury (now Harare), inspired by the establishment of an exclusively white club the previous year. Dynamos made history in its first year, winning the national championship ahead of white-dominated Salisbury Callies.

Dynamos became the first black team to consistently challenge the predominantly white Rhodesia National Football League, winning successive championships in 1965 and 1966. The team’s early style of play, dubbed “carpet soccer,” focused on ground passes and entertaining, attacking football. This approach earned them their nickname, the “Glamour Boys.” With key players like Patrick Dzvene, Dynamos dominated Zimbabwean football, winning multiple domestic titles and continental recognition.

In 1981, Dynamos became the first Zimbabwean team to contest the African Cup of Champions Clubs. They reached the quarter-finals in their debut season and repeated this feat in 1984 and 1987. The team’s success continued in the 1990s, with four more Zimbabwean titles and a remarkable run in the 1998 CAF Champions League, where they finished as runners-up to ASEC Mimosas.

Today, Dynamos remains one of Zimbabwe’s top teams, with 17 league titles and multiple cup wins. Their 2007 Double victory marked a resurgence, qualifying them for the Champions League.  As we celebrate the Glamour Boys’ rich history, we honor their legacy as trailblazers in Zimbabwean football.