Bill Antonio Explained

Bill Antonio
Full Name:Bill Leeroy Antonio
Birth Date:3 September 2002
Birth Place:Dzivarasekwa, Zimbabwe[1]
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Mechelen
Clubnumber:38
Youthyears1:–2020
Youthclubs1:Prince Edward School
Years1:2020–2022
Clubs1:Dynamos
Years2:2022–
Clubs2:Jong KVM
Caps2:33
Goals2:10
Years3:2023–
Clubs3:Mechelen
Caps3:8
Goals3:2
Nationalyears1:2021–
Nationalteam1:Zimbabwe
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Pcupdate:14:16, 22 January 2024 (UTC)
Ntupdate:18:26, 9 January 2022 (UTC)

Bill Leeroy Antonio (born 3 September 2002) is a Zimbabwean professional footballer who plays as a winger for Belgian club Mechelen, and the Zimbabwe national team.

Club career

For the 2023-24 Belgian season, Antonio started in Mechelen's second team in Belgian Division 2, Jong KV. He made his professional debut for Mechelen as a substitute in a 3-0 Mechelen win over Standard Liege on 5 November 2023, and continued to make appearances off the bench for the Malinwa, scoring the winner in a 2–1 win at Gent on 19 January 2024, the club's first away win over the Buffalos since 2012.[2]

International career

Antonio made his international debut with the Zimbabwe national team as an 18-year-old in a 1–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification loss to South Africa on 11 November 2021.[3] It was his first call-up.[4]

Antonio was named in the Zimbabwe squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations,[5] but along with Panashe Mutimbanyoka and Temptation Chiwunga did not travel to Cameroon due to organisational problems.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DeMbare Schoolboy Bill Antonio Makes Warriors Debut – ZimEye.
  2. News: Met lesje in efficiëntie smeert KV Mechelen AA Gent eerste thuisnederlaag aan (With a lesson in efficiency, KV Mechelen inflicts AA Gent's first home defeat). Sporza. nl. 19 January 2024.
  3. Web site: South Africa vs. Zimbabwe (1:0). Benjamin. Strack-Zimmermann. www.national-football-teams.com.
  4. News: Bill Antonio gets nod for World Cup qualifiers. Mehluli. Zibanda. Sunday News. 8 November 2021.
  5. Web site: Afcon 2021: A Zimbabwe squad is named despite threat of a Fifa ban. BBC Sport. 29 December 2021.