Bill Antonio
{{short description|Zimbabwean footballer (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Bill Antonio
| image =
| full_name = Bill Leeroy Antonio
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|9|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dzivarasekwa, Zimbabwe{{Cite web|url=https://www.zimeye.net/2021/11/12/dembare-schoolboy-bill-antonio-makes-warriors-debut/|title=DeMbare Schoolboy Bill Antonio Makes Warriors Debut – ZimEye}}
| height = 1.77m
| position = Winger
| currentclub = Mechelen
| clubnumber = 38
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2020
| youthclubs1 = Prince Edward School
| years1 = 2020–2022
| clubs1 = Dynamos
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2022–
| clubs2 = Jong KVM
| caps2 = 33
| goals2 = 10
| years3 = 2023–
| clubs3 = Mechelen
| caps3 = 27
| goals3 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2021–
| nationalteam1 = Zimbabwe
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| pcupdate = 6 June 2025
| 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.{{Cite news|url=https://sporza.be/nl/matches/voetbal/jupiler-pro-league/2023-2024/regulier/21/kaa-gent-kv-mechelen-met-lesje-in-efficientie-smeert-kv-mechelen-aa-gent-eerste-thuisnederlaag-aan~1687511882830/|title=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)|website=Sporza|language=nl|date=19 January 2024}}
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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/32468/South_Africa_Zimbabwe.html|title=South Africa vs. Zimbabwe (1:0)|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com}} It was his first call-up.{{Cite news|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/32468/South_Africa_Zimbabwe.html|title=Bill Antonio gets nod for World Cup qualifiers|first=Mehluli|last=Zibanda|website=Sunday News|date=8 November 2021}}
Antonio was named in the Zimbabwe squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/59818140|title=Afcon 2021: A Zimbabwe squad is named despite threat of a Fifa ban|publisher=BBC Sport|date=29 December 2021}} but along with Panashe Mutimbanyoka and Temptation Chiwunga did not travel to Cameroon due to organisational problems.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT|84629}}
- {{Soccerway|bill-antonio/802319}}
{{K.V. Mechelen squad}}
{{Zimbabwe squad 2021 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonio, Bill}}
Category:Footballers from Harare
Category:Zimbabwean men's footballers
Category:Zimbabwe men's international footballers
Category:Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League players
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:2021 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:K.V. Mechelen players
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Category:Zimbabwean expatriate men's footballers
Category:Zimbabwean expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
{{Zimbabwe-footy-bio-stub}}