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Dr Banda with members of the Malawi National Football team, 1978 Photo sourced from

10 Best Football (Soccer) Players from Malawi

Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south and southwest. 

The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, represents Malawi in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966, they were known as the Nyasaland national football team. Lets take a look at some of the best players from Malawi;

1.Young Chimodzi

Dr Banda with members of the Malawi National Football team, 1978 Photo sourced from

Young Chimodzi is a Malawian football manager and former player. A defender, he made 159 appearances for the Malawi national team and won a bronze medal with Malawi at the 1987 All-Africa Games in Nairobi. At club level he played for Silver Strikers FC, captaining the team until 1999.

He represented the Malawian national team in a total of 159 appearances making him the all time most capped player for Malawi and scored 13 goals in that time. He later managed the Malawi national team between January 2014 and June 2015 and also in 1999 and 2000.

2.Kinnah Phiri

Kinnah Phiri who was born on 30th October 1954 is a Malawian football coach and former player who is the head coach of Jwaneng Galaxy. Phiri was the inspiration behind the Malawi national football team’s finest hours in the late 1970s when Malawi twice won the East and Central Africa Challenge Cup.

He scored 71 goals in 115 games which makes him the all time top score for Malawi national team. She has since gone into coaching and managed several teams including the Malawi national team and the Malawi U23 team. 

3.Gerald Keith Phiri Jr

Dr Banda with members of the Malawi National Football team, 1978 Photo sourced from

Gerald Keith Phiri Jr. is a Malawian professional footballer who currently plays for Al-Hilal Club. He is the son of Malawian football manager Gerald Phiri Sr. He has made a total of 47 appearances and scored 10 goals in that time. 

He was named in the Malawi national team for the 2015 COSAFA Cup in South Africa, making his debut against Mozambique national team at the quarter-final stage. He is among the best players the nation has produced in recent years and could be set for a big career in the future. 

4.Gabadinho Mhango

Hellings Frank “Gabadinho” Mhango who was born on 27th September 1992 is a Malawian international footballer who plays for South African club AmaZulu and the Malawi national team, as a striker. He is one of top players in the current Malawi national team. 

He made his international debut for Malawi in 2012 and has since made a total of 58 appearances for his country scoring 15 goals in that time. Mhango’s goal during the 2021 African Cup of Nations against Morocco made it to the top three of CAF Awards for the goal of the tournament. 

5.Isaac Kaliati

Isaac “Chair” Kaliati who was born on 8th April 1998 is a Malawian international footballer who plays for South African Premier League club Cape Town City, as a winger.He has represented the Malawi an national team in a total of 10 apps and scored 7 goals in the process. 

He made his international debut for Malawi in a 1-0 victory over Uganda on 6 July 2015 at just 17 years old. He has since featured regularly for the national team and has been touted as one of the finest footballing prospects to come out of Malawi. 

6.Charles Thomu

Charles Thomu who was born on 24th January 1999 is a Malawian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Malawian club Silver Strikers, and the Malawi national team. Thomu was part of the Malawi squad the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

He debuted with Malawi in the tournament in a 0–0 tie with Senegal on 18 January 2022, where he was named the man of the match. He has made a total of one appearance for the national team but could be set for more in the coming years considering his age and talent. 

7.Mark Fodya

Mark Fodya who was born on 22nd December 1997 is a Malawian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for the Malawian club Silver Strikers, and the Malawi national team. He has since made a total of 5 appearances for the Malawian national team. 

Fodya made his international debut with the Malawi national team in a 2–2 2021 COSAFA Cup tie with Zimbabwe on 9 July 2021. He was part of the Malawi squad the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. He seen as one of the best players and with stars like him the Malawi national team is set for greatness. 

8.Charles Petro

John Charles Petro who was born on 8th February 2001 is a Malawian footballer who plays as a defender for Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol and the Malawi national team.He has represented Malawian national team in a total of 24 appearances and he is among the to rated players from the country. 

He made his senior international debut on 20 April 2019, replacing Gomezgani Chirwa during a 0–0 draw against Eswatini in the 2020 African Nations Championship qualifiers. He also played for Malawi at the 2019 COSAFA Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. 

9.Jack Chamangwana

Jack Chamangwana who was born on 30th April 1957 – and died on 6th May 2018 was a Malawian international footballer. He was nicknamed ‘Africa’ in Malawi and ‘Black Stone’ in South Africa. He made his debut against Kenya in an international friendly match on 10 July 1975.

He made his final appearance was 16 April 1985 against Mozambique in a 1986 African Cup of Nations qualification game.He was involved in the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification and 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns. He also played in the 1984 African Cup of Nations tournament for Malawi and the 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1983 editions of the CECAFA Cup.

10.Lawrence Waya

Lawrence Waya who was born on 25th May 1963 in Mphonde, Nyasaland is a former Malawi international football player and manager. Waya made over 100 appearances for the Malawi national football team, including seven FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.He made a total of 129 apps and scored 28 during that time. 

Waya won a bronze medal with Malawi at the 1987 All-Africa Games in Nairobi. After retiring from playing, Waya took coaching courses in the United Kingdom and received a UEFA ‘B’ Licence. He would then return to Malawi to manage Big Bullets. 

The Malawian national team have qualified for three Africa Cup of Nations, in 1984, 2010 and 2021. They also won the CECAFA Cup in 1978, 1979 and 1988 and could be set for more in future with the talent that they poses.