New Generation of UK-based Chipolopolo Stars Give Hope Despite Qualifying Disappointment
There is good reason for optimism when looking ahead at the future of the Zambian national football team, despite the let down of recent results.
It was confirmed last month that Chipolopolo would not be partaking in AFCON again this upcoming January, marking the sixth consecutive year in which they have been absent from the biennial finals.
Furthermore, barring a perfect finish to qualifying, and an extremely fortuitous set of results elsewhere, it looks likely that Zambia will not be competing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar either. They have never qualified for a World Cup Finals.
Nevertheless, there is plenty of hope that this young team is on the cusp of a period of great footballing success.
Three of the brightest lights in Zambian football moved to the UK this summer: close friends Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu from the Austrian Bundesliga to the English Premier League, with Leicester and Brighton respectively, whilst Fashion Sakala signed for Glasgow Rangers from Oostende in Belgium.
Whilst international transfers can often be tricky, with players needing time to acclimatise to their new surroundings and league, all three players appear to have hit the ground running. Patson became the first Zambian ever to score in the Premier League in October, scoring in Leicester’s superb win over Manchester United, whilst Mwepu became the second swiftly after, scoring against Liverpool
On the same weekend as Mwepu’s wonder-goal at Anfield, Sakala got off the mark in Scottish football in ‘fashion’, scoring a hat-trick against Motherwell. And we mustn’t forget Patson’s man of the match performance against Spartak Moscow in the Europa League, where he became the first Zambian to score a hat-trick in a major European Competition.
It may have been a while since Zambia last shone on the international football stage, but a key player for Chipolopolo from their last period of glory, Kalusha Bwalya, is excited for the future.
“If a national team is going to be successful, it has to have a very good backbone," Bwalya, the 1988 African Footballer of the Year, told BBC Sport Africa.
“Patson and Mwepu are already there, while Fashion can play on the left and right, so all you need is a solid goalkeeper and strong defence for the team to function.”
This same spine of a successful side Bwalya speaks of have already tasted some glory together, as Daka, Mwepu and Sakala were all part of Zambia’s Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations winning side in 2017.
The trio have only developed their game since then, but are still young and hungry, with all three aged 24 or under. This fact has not escaped Mwepu’s attention.
“We have come together as friends and tried to always inspire and encourage each other," says Mwepu.
“I see very young, energetic guys who are hungry to achieve more. This will be very good for our nation. We have come to realise that this is a time that we can put our nation on top.”
Next years Africa Cup of Nations and Qatar World Cup may have come too soon for Zambia, but if these three stars can continue on their upwards trajectory then there is plenty of hope that Mwepu’s prediction will come true.
Photo: Getty Images