Selemani Mwalimu: 19-year-old Tanzanian dreams of shining at Wydad Casablanca

Tanzanian forward Selemani Mwalimu is bursting with excitement after finally realising his dream of becoming a proper professional football player.

Unveiled by Moroccan powerhouse Wydad Casablanca in February, the 19-year-old is eager to make his mark as he prepares for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.

Mwalimu has made headlines this season with his impressive goal-scoring performance in the Tanzanian Premier League, catching the eye of talent scouts across Africa.

His move to the Moroccan club came after a successful stint at Singida Black Stars, where he had been loaned from Fountain Gate.

The young striker admitted that he was initially sceptical about the deal pushing through, but was thrilled that he finally made his dream move.

“I was in disbelief when I first received the news. It was a phone call confirming that everything had been finalised, and all that remained was for me to prepare myself to go and fight for my goals. I am delighted that everything went smoothly, leading to my official unveiling as a Wydad Casablanca player,” Mwalimu told IPP Media.

He will begin by training with Wydad's B team to provide him with the necessary time to adjust to his new environment. Despite being on the B team, he is still eligible for selection by head coach Rulani Mokwena for the senior squad.

Mokwena had reportedly expressed interest in another rising star from the Tanzanian league, top scorer Clement Mzize. However, the former Sundowns head coach ultimately decided to sign Mwalimu.

Mwalimu wants to build a solid career playing Moroccan football and aims to earn playing time with the senior team while making an impact in the Botola Pro League.

Mwalimu also expressed appreciation towards the clubs that helped him along his journey.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank KVZ FC for nurturing me and providing the platform for me to be noticed. I sincerely appreciate Singida Black Stars FC and their management for recognising my talent, believing in me, and allowing me to play in the Tanzanian Premier League. I also want to express my gratitude to the management of Fountain Gate FC, the technical bench, and my teammates. Their support has been crucial to my growth, and I am determined to live up to expectations and thrive in my new journey," said Mwalimu.

During his time in the Tanzanian league, he netted six goals in the first half of the season.

He is now part of a new wave of talent at Wydad, which has also signed several players during the recent mini transfer window, including goalkeeper Mehdi Benabid, defenders Fahd Moufi, Mikael Malsa, Hamza Ftiti, Zakaria Fatihti, and Mohamed Jaddidi, as well as South African winger Thembenkosi Lorch, who joined on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns.

Wydad has also secured the talents of Ghanaian forward Samuel Obeng, adding depth and versatility to their squad after he arrived on a free transfer from Casa Pia.

The club has been grouped (Group G) alongside Premier League title holders Manchester City, Italian giants Juventus and Asian side Al Ain.

They play Pep Guardiola’s side on June 18 at the Lincoln Financial Field, with the Old Lady assignment four days later. They will know their fate in the group once they face Al Ain at the Audi Field.

Mokwena is confident African clubs to show their mettle in the United States of America.  do well in the club World Cup, having been the Masandawana manager in the same competition last season.

“We can expect African nations to do well. I have been fortunate enough to work with two clubs that have qualified. I have great regard and warm wishes for Sundowns to do very well. Al Ahly have got the pedigree and history and experience. Esperance have a strong squad that has done exceptional things in the last three years. I would expect them to perfom top a level that would bring prestige to the continent. I think we (Wydad) will surprise a lot of people. We’ve got very difficult games but we have strong squad,” he said.