The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is greatly elated to learn of the naming of Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda as the BBC World Footballer of the Year.
FAZ president Andrew Kamanga says the award is a perfect reflection of the strides made in the women’s game under his reign. “On behalf of my executive committee and the entire Zambian football community, I wish to congratulate Copper Queens captain Barbra Banda on her BBC World Footballer of the Year accolade,” said Kamanga.
“It is a proud moment for Zambia and our football in general to get such high-level recognition. This comes on the back of her being named Most Valuable Player in the National Women’s Soccer League in the United States of America in her debut season.
“Banda is also in line for the CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year accolade race. It is a huge inspiration to emerging female footballers who stand to believe that if they work hard, they can achieve anything.”
The FAZ chief says the move will inspire his executive committee to work even harder to sustain the women football revolution. “It is such moments that will reinvigorate our energies to grow the game even bigger. Already our women’s game has featured at the FIFA Women World Cup at senior and U17 level and back-to-back Olympics which speaks to the investments we have made so far. Things can only get better,” he added.
Banda won the award ahead of Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati and USA and Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith was third, while fellow American Naomi Girma and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen were also nominated.
She scored four goals for Zambia at the Paris Olympics this summer, including a first-half hat-trick against Australia, to become the leading African goal scorer in Olympic history with 10.
She scored 13 goals for Pride in 2024 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) regular season, despite only joining in March, and four goals in the playoffs, including the winning goal in the championship final on Saturday as Orlando Pride won their maiden title.
