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Austrian Bundesliga league match. Photo by Werner100359 on

10 Best Zambian Football (Soccer) Players

Africa has always been a hotspot for several top football players who ply their abilities and talents in Europe. Zambia is one of the countries that has produced good footballers who play in the English Premier League and other top European clubs. Zambia which is officially the Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa.

The Republic of Zambia has a population of around 19.5 million which has produced some of the best talents across the world. The Zambian National team has never qualified for the World Cup but they are striving hard to ensure they participate in the 2026 tournament. Below are the 10 Best Zambian Football Players:

1. Patson Daka

Patson Daka in a UEFA Euro League round of 32. Photo by Werner100359 on Wikimedia

Patson Daka was born on 9th October 1998 in Kafue, Zambia. Daka came through the youth system of local club Kafue Celtic and was later sent to Nchanga Rangers on loan and Power Dynamos. Patson Daka plays as a striker for his team and club.

In January 2017, he joined the Austrian team Red Bull Salzburg where he became a great player playing beside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. Patson Daka helped Salzburg win four Austrian Bundesliga titles and three Austrian Cups.

He later joined English Premier League side Leicester City in the summer of 2021 in a £23 million deal. However, he has not been featured consistently. Patson Daka debuted for the national team at the age of 16 in 2015.

2. Enock Mwepu

Enock Mwepu. Photo by Steindy on

Enock Mwepu was born on 1st January 1998 in Lusaka, Zambia. He plays for the English Premier League side Brighton and Albion Hovers as a midfielder and is also the captain of the Zambian national team. Mwepu began his soccer career with Kafue Celtic in Lusaka before being identified with the 2013 Airtel Rising Stars.

He had to switch clubs after failing to get more game time at Power Dynamos football club. Enock Mwepu got a big move to Red Bull Salzburg in June 2017 where he established himself in the first team after two seasons.

His debut came in the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield in the 4-3 loss. Mwepu managed to get a rare transfer to the English Premier League side, Brighton, for an undisclosed fee. In 2021, Enock Mwepu played in 24 matches for Brighton and scored only two goals but has been brilliant for his team.

Enock Mwepu is valued in the transfer market at €10 million. He plays brilliantly in the defensive midfield position.

3. Fashion Sakala

Junior Fashion Sakala was born on 14th March 1997 in Chipata, Zambia. He plays for Scottish Premiership club Rangers and the Zambia National team. Fashion signed his first European contract with Russian Premier League club FC Spartak.

He made zero appearances for the senior squad, and 35 appearances for FC Spartak 2 where he scored ten goals before joining Belgian club Oostende. Fashion later signed a pre-contract agreement with Scottish Premiership club Rangers after running off his contract with Oostende.

At Rangers, Fashion Sakala has had a great career as he made his debut in the 3-0 win over Livingston. He scored his first hat-trick for Rangers in a 6-1 league win over Motherwell.

4. Edward Chilufya

Edward Chilufya, football player. Photo by Jens Backeman on

He was born on 17th September 1999 in Kasama Zambia. He plays for the Danish football club Midtjylland as a midfielder. Edward began his career with the Mpande Academy before joining Djurgården in June 2017.

At Djurgården, Edward made sixty-two appearances and scored eleven times for his team. On 30th January 2022, Edward signed with Danish club Midtjylland on a long-term deal. He is valued at €2.6 million in the football transfer market.

5. Lameck Banda

Lameck was born on 29th January 2001 in Zambia. He began his football career with Zambia before he made his big move to Russia. Banda signed for Russian Premier League club FC Arsenal Tula on 10th July 2019.

Lameck made his debut for the new club against FC Dynamo Moscow later that year. He played in eleven matches and never scored any goal. Banda later signed with Maccabi Netanya on 3rd September 2020 on loan until May 2021.

He made 24 appearances scoring two goals. Lameck Banda was again loaned out to Maccabi Petah Tikva where he played in thirty-three matches without scoring. He later moved to the newly promoted Serie A club U.S. Lecce.

6. Emmanuel Banda

Emmanuel Banda. Photo by Supporterhéninois on

Born on 29th September 1997 in Chililabombwe, Zambia, Emmanuel Banda is a professional footballer who plays for Djurgårdens as a central midfielder. He wears jersey number twelve for his club where he has played since 2020.

Emmanuel Banda has made fifty-two appearances for his club and scored ten goals without a hat-trick. He has twelve caps with the Zambian national team and is yet to score a goal. The current market value of Emmanuel Banda is €0.2 million.

7. Kalusha Bwalya

Kalusha Bwalya is a Zambian former international footballer. He played for several European clubs and had an amazing career before he retired.

Kalusha is Zambia’s eighth-most capped player and third on the list of all-time top goal scorers. One of the greatest records by Kalusha is that he was named African footballer of the year in 1988 by the magazine France Football.

He was also nominated for 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year. Kalusha was voted the 12th best player in the world and first for the nomination after playing for the non-European club.

8. Alex Chola

Zambian coaches Alex Chola and Godfrey Chitalu. Photo by Times of Zambia staff photographers on

Alex Chola currently holds the record of being the second-highest goal scorer in Zambia after legendary Godfrey Chitalu. As a teenager, Alex played for several clubs and built a legacy for himself.

Alex was voted the Zambian player of the Year 1976 as he played for Zambian Powerhouse Power Dynamos. His playing career for so perfect. He was given the duty of managing the Zambian national team. Unfortunately, he was killed in the fatal 1993 plane crash that also claimed the lives of the Zambian national team.

9. Valance Nambishi

Valance is a professional footballer who plays for Fredericia since 2021. He was born on 30th November and plays as a midfielder. Between 2018 to 2021, Valance played for Silkeborg where he made 36 appearances without scoring.

He has 16 appearances with Fredericia FC and two goals. Valance Nambishi has a market value of €91.5K.

10. Godfrey Chitalu

Zambian coaches Alex Chola and Godfrey Chitalu. Photo by Times of Zambia staff photographers on

Godfrey is ranked among the greatest and undisputed footballers who hail from Zambia. He holds the record for the highest number of goals scored in a calendar year.

Godfrey is currently the coach of the National team and is unveiling more talented players. He had a record of 116 goals but was controversially rejected by FIFA who said the record was unofficial.