Son of huge Portsmouth hero suffers heartbreak after rebuilding career following Blues Academy exit

The son of a Pompey hero has suffered a set-back as he bids to emulate his famous footballing hero.

Benjani Mwaruwari Jnr impressively bounced back from his 2020 release from the Blues’ Under-16s to earn a professional deal at Yeovil.

He went on to make his National League debut for the Glovers as an 18-year-old in April 2023, coming off the bench in a 13-minute cameo against Boreham Wood.

Indeed, there were high hopes for the promising striker, who has spent time on loan at Sherborne Town, Dorchester and Melksham Town during the last two seasons.

However, Benjani Jnr is among eight players released by Yeovil following this season’s National League South promotion, when they won the title by 11 points.

The 19-year-old didn’t feature in that remarkable success, having been loaned out over the duration of the campaign to bolster his development.

Although he did return to represent the Glovers in the Somerset Premier Cup in October against Keynsham and netted with a stunning free-kick, which was picked up nationally.

To mark the goal, he recreated his dad’s iconic arm-pointing celebration which became commonplace at Pompey and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Yet having spent the majority of the season with Southern League Division One South side Melksham, who finished eighth, Benjani Jnr is now on the hunt for a new club.

His father bagged 20 goals in 94 appearances during his time at Fratton Park and remains a hugely popular figure, last month attending the Former Players’ Day.

Most recently, Benjani Snr has been coaching in Plymouth’s Academy as he forges a new career in football post-retirement.

As a powerful, hard-working striker, he arrived at Pompey in January 2006 from Auxerre for a club record £4m fee and went on to feature prominently in the Great Escape under Harry Redknapp.

After being sold to Manchester City in February 2008, he returned to the Blues, then in the Championship, for a second spell in August 2011, yet it wasn’t a success.