Zambia national football team
Zambia
 |
| Nickname(s) |
Chipolopolo
(The Copper Bullets) |
| Association |
Football Association of Zambia |
| Confederation |
CAF (Africa) |
| Head coach |
 Dario Bonetti |
| Asst coach |
Patrice Beaumelle |
| Most caps |
Kalusha Bwalya (102) |
| Top scorer |
Kalusha Bwalya (50) |
| Home stadium |
Konkola Stadium |
| FIFA code |
ZAM |
| FIFA ranking |
73 |
| Highest FIFA ranking |
15 (February 1996) |
| Lowest FIFA ranking |
96 (October 2009) |
| Elo ranking |
70 |
| Highest Elo ranking |
28 (April 1994) |
| Lowest Elo ranking |
99 (May 2004) |
|
|
|
| First international |
 Southern Rhodesia 0 - 4 Northern Rhodesia 
(Southern Rhodesia; 1946) |
| Biggest win |
 Zambia 10 - 0 Djibouti 
Zambia; 3 September 2006) |
| Biggest defeat |
 Congo DR 10 - 1 Zambia .svg.png)
(Congo-Kinshasa; 22 November 1969)
.svg.png) Belgium 9 - 0 Zambia
(Brussels, Belgium; 3 June 1994) |
| African Nations Cup |
| Appearances |
14 (First in 1974) |
| Best result |
Runners-up, 1974 and 1994 |
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo (the Copper bullets) as copper is one of the nation's main exports. The team has two African Nations Cup final appearances to its credit and among its most memorable moments is a 4-0 victory over Italy in the 1988 Olympic football tournament in Seoul, South Korea that saw Kalusha Bwalya score a hat-trick.
Honours
- COSAFA Cup
- Champions: 1997, 1998, 2006:: Runners-up: 2004, 2005, 2007
- CECAFA Cup
- Champions: 1984 ,1991, 2006
- Runners-up: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1988, 2006
- African Nations Cup
- Runners-up: 1974, 1994
World Cup record
As the former British colony of Northern Rhodesia, Zambia did not participate in World Cup qualification play until after its independence in 1964. The country's football association was formed in 1929 and joined FIFA in 1964.
African Nations Cup record
- 1957 to 1968 - Did not enter
- 1970 - Did not qualify
- 1972 - Did not qualify
- 1974 - Second place
- 1976 - Did not qualify
- 1978 - Round 1
- 1980 - Did not qualify
|
|
- 1982 - Third place
- 1984 - Did not qualify
- 1986 - Round 1
- 1988 - Withdrew
- 1990 - Third place
- 1992 - Quarterfinals
- 1994 - Second place
|
|
- 1996 - Third place
- 1998 - Round 1
- 2000 - Round 1
- 2002 - Round 1
- 2004 - Did not qualify
- 2006 - Round 1
- 2008 - Round 1
- 2010 - Quarterfinals
|
Gabon air disaster
A tragedy befell the Zambian national football team when the military plane (Zambian Air Force Buffalo DHC-5D, reg: AF-319) carrying the team to Senegal for a 1994 World Cup qualification match crashed in the late evening of 27 April 1993. The journey required three refuelling stops and at the first stop in Congo engine problems were noted. Despite this, the flight continued and a few minutes after taking off from a second stop in Libreville, Gabon one of the engines caught fire and failed. The pilot, who was tired from already having flown back from Mauritius earlier that day, then shut down the wrong engine, causing the plane to lose all power during the climb out of Libreville Airport and fall into the water 500m offshore.
All 30 passengers and crew, including 18 players, as well as the national team coach and support staff, were lost in the accident. The Chipolopolo's captain and later national team coach, Kalusha Bwalya, was not aboard the ill-fated flight as he was in the Netherlands playing for PSV at that time and had made separate arrangements to make his own way to Senegal to take part in the qualifier match. Also Charles Musonda, at the time playing for Anderlecht, wasn't involved in the plane crash being injured.
Aftermath of the tragedy
A new side was quickly assembled, and led by Bwalya, faced up to the difficult task of having to complete Zambia's World Cup qualifiers and then prepare for the upcoming African Nations Cup which was only months away.
The resurrected team defied the odds, and displaying an offensive playing style, they reached the final against Nigeria. They took the lead in the first half, but the Super Eagles quickly equalized and followed up with the winner in the second half. In spite of the loss, the Zambian side returned home as national heroes.
List of players killed in the 1993 air disaster
A Zambian football fan at
Lusaka's Independence Stadium
Old symbol for the Football Association of Zambia
- Efford Chabala (goalkeeper)
- John Soko (defender)
- Whiteson Changwe (defender)
- Robert Watiyakeni (defender)
- Eston Mulenga (midfielder)
- Derby Makinka (midfielder)
- Moses Chikwalakwala (midfielder)
- Wisdom Mumba Chansa (midfielder)
- Kelvin "Malaza" Mutale (striker)
- Timothy Mwitwa (striker)
- Numba Mwila (midfielder)
- Richard Mwanza (goalkeeper)
- Samuel Chomba (defender)
- Moses Masuwa (striker)
- Kenan Simambe (defender)
- Godfrey Kangwa (midfielder)
- Winter Mumba (defender)
- Patrick "Bomber" Banda (striker)
Also among the deceased were national team managers Godfrey "Ucar" Chitalu and Alex Chola.
Zambia all time record against all nations
| Against |
Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
GF |
GA |
GD |
 Algeria |
12 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
12 |
-7 |
 Angola |
13 |
5 |
6 |
2 |
13 |
8 |
+5 |
| Belgium |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
-9 |
 Benin |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
-3 |
 Botswana |
12 |
7 |
3 |
2 |
17 |
2 |
+15 |
 Burkina Faso |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
4 |
+7 |
 Burundi |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
-1 |
 Cameroon |
11 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
20 |
20 |
0 |
 Chad |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
+2 |
 Chile |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
-3 |
 China PR |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
 Congo |
10 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
22 |
8 |
+14 |
 Congo DR/ Zaire |
22 |
8 |
9 |
5 |
31 |
27 |
+4 |
 Côte d'Ivoire |
4 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
 Ecuador |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
-4 |
 Egypt |
16 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
16 |
28 |
-12 |
 Ethiopia |
12 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
19 |
8 |
+11 |
 Gabon |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
+2 |
 Gambia |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
 Ghana |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
7 |
-1 |
 Guinea |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
10 |
+2 |
 Honduras |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
-6 |
 Iran |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
 Jamaica |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
+3 |
 Kenya |
23 |
15 |
3 |
5 |
42 |
15 |
+27 |
 Korea DPR |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
 Korea Republic |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
4 |
+3 |
 Kuwait |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
 Lesotho |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
3 |
+10 |
 Liberia |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
+6 |
 Libya |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
6 |
+3 |
 Madagascar |
12 |
8 |
1 |
3 |
21 |
10 |
+11 |
 Malawi |
63 |
34 |
14 |
15 |
120 |
56 |
+64 |
 Mali |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
3 |
+5 |
 Mauritius |
8 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
17 |
6 |
+11 |
 Morocco |
15 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
14 |
18 |
-4 |
 Mozambique |
11 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
24 |
7 |
+17 |
 Namibia |
7 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
4 |
+10 |
 Nigeria |
16 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
19 |
13 |
+6 |
 Oman |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
-2 |
 Rwanda |
6 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
4 |
+4 |
 Saudi Arabia |
5 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
-1 |
 Senegal |
11 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
5 |
+3 |
 Seychelles |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
+6 |
 Sierra Leone |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
+4 |
 Somalia |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
3 |
+11 |
 South Africa |
14 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
15 |
14 |
+1 |
 Sudan |
15 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
23 |
17 |
+6 |
 Swaziland |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
16 |
3 |
+3 |
 Tanzania |
22 |
10 |
7 |
5 |
33 |
20 |
+13 |
 Togo |
7 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
11 |
-3 |
 Tunisia |
11 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
10 |
16 |
-6 |
 Uganda |
29 |
13 |
6 |
10 |
39 |
35 |
+4 |
 Yemen |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
 Zimbabwe |
32 |
10 |
19 |
3 |
38 |
28 |
+10 |
| Total |
489 |
225 |
129 |
135 |
742 |
495 |
+247 |
Current squad
The following players were named for the match against Comoros on 4 September 2010. Caps and goals updated as May 26, 2010
| Name |
DOB |
Club |
Caps (goals) |
Debut |
| Goalkeepers |
| Kalililo Kakonje |
1 January 1985 (1985-01-01) (age 26) |
Amazulu |
17(0) |
|
| Kennedy Mweene |
11 December 1984 (1984-12-11) (age 26) |
Free State Stars |
65 (0) |
v Malawi, 22 May 2004 |
| Jacob Banda |
11 February 1988 (1988-02-11) (age 23) |
Zesco United |
8 (0) |
|
| Defenders |
| Chintu Kampamba |
28 December 1980 (1980-12-28) (age 30) |
Free State Stars |
25 (0) |
|
| Stophira Sunzu |
22 September 1989 (1989-09-22) (age 21) |
Zanaco |
17 (0) |
v Botswana, 2009 |
| Hijani Himoonde |
1 August 1987 (1987-08-01) (age 23) |
TP Mazembe |
18 (2) |
|
| Emmanuel Mbola |
10 May 1993 (1993-05-10) (age 17) |
TP Mazembe |
24 (0) |
v Angola, November 2008 |
| Henry Nyambe Mulenga |
27 August 1987 (1987-08-27) (age 23) |
Zesco United |
12 (0) |
| Joseph Musonda |
30 May 1977 (1977-05-30) (age 33) |
Golden Arrows |
67 (0) |
Mozambique, 6 July 2002 |
| Jimmy Chisenga |
3 April 1992 (1992-04-03) (age 18) |
Red Arrows |
4 (0) |
|
| Billy Mwanza |
1 January 1983 (1983-01-01) (age 28) |
Zesco United |
37 (0) |
Zimbabwe, 1 May 2004 |
| Midfielders |
| Isaac Chansa |
23 March 1984 (1984-03-23) (age 26) |
Orlando Pirates |
33 (0) |
Zimbabwe, 1 May 2004 |
| Noah Chivuta |
25 December 1983 (1983-12-25) (age 27) |
Bidvest Wits |
17 (2) |
Mozambique, September 2007 |
| Rainford Kalaba |
14 August 1986 (1986-08-14) (age 24) |
 S.C Braga |
47 (7) |
v Botswana, 26 February 2005 |
| Felix Katongo |
18 April 1984 (1984-04-18) (age 26) |
Al ittihad |
45 (10) |
Zimbabwe, 16 May 2005 |
| Christopher Katongo |
31 August 1982 (1982-08-31) (age 28) |
 Skoda Xanthi |
61 (12) |
Tanzania, 7 June 2003 |
| William Njovu |
4 March 1987 (1987-03-04) (age 23) |
 Hapoel Kiryat Shmona |
15 (1) |
|
| Fwayo Tembo |
2 May 1989 (1989-05-02) (age 21) |
 FC Basel |
3(1) |
|
| Jonas Sakuwaha |
22 July 1983 (1983-07-22) (age 27) |
 Lorient |
13 (1) |
|
| Sebastian Mwansa |
21 September 1988 (1988-09-21) (age 22) |
TP Mazembe |
9(1) |
|
| Kennedy Mudenda |
13 January 1988 (1988-01-13) (age 23) |
Power Dynamos |
5 (1) |
v North Korea national football team, November 2009 |
|
| Simon Bwalya |
25 February 1984 (1984-02-25) (age 26) |
Power Dynamos |
8 (0) |
v Togo national football team, 2008 |
|
| Strikers |
| James Chamanga |
2 May 1980 (1980-05-02) (age 30) |
Dalian Haichang |
39 (15) |
v Botswana, 25 February 2005 |
| Signs Chibambo |
13 October 1987 (1987-10-13) (age 23) |
El-Masry |
3 (0) |
|
| Rodgers Kola |
4 July 1989 (1989-07-04) (age 21) |
F.C. Ashdod |
10 (3) |
|
| Emmanuel Mayuka |
21 September 1990 (1990-09-21) (age 20) |
BSC Young Boys |
21 (4) |
v Mozambique, August 2007 |
| Given Singuluma |
26 September 1985 (1985-09-26) (age 25) |
TP Mazembe |
22 (8) |
|
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up to the Zambia squad within the last twelve months.
| Name |
DOB |
Club |
Caps (goals) |
Debut |
| Goalkeepers |
| Davy Kaumbwa |
5 February 1987 (1987-02-05) (age 24) |
Green Buffaloes |
2 (0) |
|
| Rabson Mucheleng'anga |
14 September 1989 (1989-09-14) (age 21) |
Power Dynamos |
0 (0) |
|
Raja Kola |
|
Zanaco |
0 (0) |
|
| Defenders |
| Dennis Banda |
12 October 1988 (1988-10-12) (age 22) |
Green Buffaloes |
21 (1) |
|
| Thomas Nyrienda |
21 January 1984 (1984-01-21) (age 27) |
Zanaco |
14 (0) |
|
| Francis Kasonde |
1 September 1986 (1986-09-01) (age 24) |
Wadi Degla |
21 (2) |
|
| Elijah Tana |
28 February 1975 (1975-02-28) (age 35) |
Caála |
77 (5) |
v Ecuador national football team, 4 June 1995 |
|
| Misheck Lungu |
12 June 1980 (1980-06-12) (age 30) |
 Honved Budapest |
37 (1) |
|
| Davies Nkausu |
1 January 1986 (1986-01-01) (age 25) |
Supersport United |
19 (1) |
v Togo national football team, September 2008 |
|
| Charles Siyingwa |
25 February 1984 (1984-02-25) (age 26) |
Zanaco |
8 (2) |
v North Korea national football team, November 2009 |
|
| Midfielders |
| Henry Banda |
16 September 1990 (1990-09-16) (age 20) |
Zanaco |
9(1) |
|
| Kennedy Chola |
1 November 1990 (1990-11-01) (age 20) |
Green Buffaloes |
5 (3) |
v North Korea national football team, November 2009 |
|
| Kebby Hachipuka |
13 June 1984 (1984-06-13) (age 26) |
Choma Eagles |
8 (0) |
v Togo national football team, 2008 |
|
| Andrew Sinkala |
18 June 1979 (1979-06-18) (age 31) |
 Augsburg |
24 (1) |
v DR Congo national football team, 1999 |
|
| Clifford Mulenga |
5 August 1987 (1987-08-05) (age 23) |
Mpumalanga Black Aces |
21 (2) |
v Botswana, 2004 |
| Strikers |
| Francis Kombe |
23 December 1985 (1985-12-23) (age 25) |
Golden Arrows |
8 (1) |
v Rwanda national football team, 24 March 2003 |
|
| Collins Mbesuma |
3 February 1984 (1984-02-03) (age 27) |
Moroka Swallows |
29 (12) |
v Malawi, 17 May 2003 |
| Felix Sunzu |
22 June 1989 (1989-06-22) (age 21) |
FC Lupopo |
7 (2) |
|
| Jacob Mulenga |
12 February 1984 (1984-02-12) (age 27) |
 FC Utrecht |
33 (6) |
v Sudan, 25 May 2004 |
Upcoming Fixtures and Results
| Date |
Tournament |
Location |
Home Team |
Score |
Away Team |
Scorers |
|
26 May 2010
|
International Friendly
|
Estadio Municipal de Calama, Calama |
Chile |
3-0 L
|
Zambia |
|
Managers
- Samuel Ndhlovu
- Jochen Figge (1992–1993)
- Godfrey Chitalu (1993)
Ian Porterfield (1993–1994)
Roald Poulsen (1994–1996)- George Mungwa (1996–1997)
- Obby Kapita (1997)
- Burkhard Ziese (1997–1998)
- Ben Bamfuchile (1998–2001)
- Jan Brouwer (2001)
- Roald Poulsen (2002)
- Kalusha Bwalya (2003–2006)
- Patrick Phiri (2006–2008)
- Hervé Renard (May 2008–April 2010)
- Dario Bonetti (July 2010)
Physiotherapists
- Wezi Gondwe (1993–1997)
External links
See also
- The Munich air disaster killed several members of the English side Manchester United in 1958.
- The 1989 crash of Surinam Airways Flight 764 killed a group of Surinamese players known as The Colourful 11, whose members played professionally in the Netherlands.
- The Italian Torino FC side known as Il Grande Torino that dominated post-war Italian football was lost in the Superga air disaster in 1949.
- The 1987 Alianza Lima air disaster killed nearly the entire staff of the Peruvian side Alianza Lima.
|
Zambia squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations |
|
|
1 Poto • 2 J. Mulenga • 3 Nketani • 4 Musonda • 5 Himoonde • 6 Kasonde • 7 C. Mulenga • 8 Chansa • 9 Sunzu • 10 Bakala • 11 C. Katongo • 12 D. Phiri • 13 Chinyama • 14 Mayuka • 15 Chintu • 16 Mweene • 17 Kalaba • 18 Mwanza • 19 Hachilensa • 20 F. Katongo • 21 Chamanga • 22 Kakonje • 23 Njovu • Coach: P. Phiri
|
|
|
|
Zambia squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations |
|
|
1 Kakonje • 2 Kasonde • 3 D. Banda • 4 Musonda • 5 Himoonde • 6 Mbola • 7 J. Mulenga • 8 Chansa • 9 Mbesuma • 10 F. Katongo • 11 C. Katongo • 12 Chamanga • 13 Sunzu • 14 Chivuta • 15 Kampamba • 16 Mweene • 17 Kalaba • 18 Singuluma • 19 Nyrienda • 20 Njovu • 21 Mayuka • 22 J. Banda • 23 C. Mulenga • Coach: Renard
|
|
|
|
Zambia national football team – Managers |
|
Dumitru (1981–82) · Ndhlovu (19xx–xx) · Figge (1992–93) · Chitalu (1993) · Mwila (1993) · Porterfield (1993–94) · Chama (1994) · Poulsen (1994–97) · Mungwa (1997) · Kapita (1997) · Ziese (1997–98) · Mungwa (1998) · Kapita (1998) · Bamfuchile (1998–2000) · Mungwa (2000) · Brouwer (2000–01) · Poulsen (2002) · Bwalya (2005–06) · Phiri (2006–08) · Renard (2008–10) · Bonetti (2010–)
|
|
|
Football in Zambia |
|
| Football Association of Zambia |
|
| National teams |
Zambia · U-20
|
|
| Competitions |
Zambian Premier League · Zambian Cup · Zambian Challenge Cup · Zambian Coca Cola Cup
|
|
| List of players · List of clubs · List of venues |
|
|
National football teams of Africa (CAF) |
|
Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Congo · Congo DR · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Réunion† · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · Sudan · Swaziland · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zanzibar† · Zimbabwe
|
|
| †Not a member of FIFA |
|
