“Don’t mock Flames”- says Micium Mhone
Blue Eagles and Malawi national football team player Micium Mhone has urged football fans to celebrate the historic success of the Scorchers without using it as an opportunity to mock or undermine the Flames.
Mhone made the call in a Facebook post amid growing debate on social media following the Scorchers’ remarkable run at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where Malawi have reached the final.
The Scorchers’ historic campaign has sparked widespread excitement across the country, with fans celebrating the women’s team while some have taken to social media to ridicule the Flames over the men’s team’s struggles on the continental stage.
Mhone has, however, appealed for restraint, saying the achievements of the two national teams should not become a source of division or mockery.
His message comes at a time when the Scorchers have captured national attention with their unprecedented WAFCON campaign.
Their progress has also secured Malawi a maiden qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, further cementing the campaign as one of the most significant achievements in the country’s football history.
The midfielder’s comments come against a backdrop of intense comparisons between the two national sides, with some supporters arguing that the women’s team has shown greater consistency and determination than the men’s side.
Football experts have also joined the conversation, with former Flames players and administrators pointing to increased investment in women’s football, the export of players to stronger overseas leagues and the team’s commitment as some of the factors behind the Scorchers’ rise.
However, Mhone’s intervention highlights the need for Malawians to appreciate the Scorchers’ achievement without turning the success into an attack on the Flames.
The Scorchers entered the WAFCON as the lowest-ranked team among the 16 qualifiers but have defied expectations to reach the final, where they will face Cameroon while also becoming the first Malawian national football team to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
For Mhone, the historic achievement should instead provide motivation for the entire Malawian football fraternity.The Flames have struggled to reproduce the same level of success in recent years, including failing to qualify for the previous Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Despite the contrasting fortunes, Mhone’s message is that supporting one national team should not require tearing down another.His comments have added to the wider debate about how Malawi can build on the Scorchers’ success while finding ways to improve the fortunes of the Flames.
The focus, therefore, should be on celebrating the Scorchers’ historic achievement, learning from their progress and supporting both national teams as they represent Malawi on the international.
