Alex Chola (6 June 1956 – 27 April 1993) was a Zambian international footballer of the 1970s and early 1980s. A talented attacking midfielder, he is regarded (along with Godfrey Chitalu) as one of the best Zambian footballers of his generation. Because of his talent, he was nicknamed "computer" as he could read with ease where the ball was coming from, or who he was to pass it next.
The late Simon Kaodi Kaushi, who played for Mufulira Blackpool and Zambia, is credited with having discovered the talent of Chola and his young brother Pascal Kunda who later played for Ndola United. Chola was later to leave Blackpool after catching the eye of the Power Dynamos hierarchy in Kitwe.
Chola was Zambian footballer of the year in 1976 and together with clubmate Peter Kaumba played for an Ivorian team Africa Sports in the early 80's before returning to Zambia.
He played for Zambia at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.[1] Chola also played for the senior side at the 1982 African Cup of Nations finals[2] and in several FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.[3]
Chola later moved into coaching as assistant to Freddie Mwila at Power Dynamos and was in the technical team that led Dynamos to the 1991 African Cup Winners Cup after victory over BCC Lions of Nigeria. The following year Chola took over as head coach after Mwila's departure and at the end of the season had won the Zambian coach of the year trophy. This was a remarkable achievement in that more than half of the Dynamos team had been suspended for a season for boycotting the defence of their Cup Winners Cup so he led a Dynamos team of mostly younf untested players.
In late 1992, Chola was appointed National team assistant coach to Godfrey Chitalu. The pair died in the 1993 air disaster off the coast of Gabon which claimed several members of Zambia's national team.
In 2006, he was selected by CAF as one of the best 200 African football players of the last 50 years.[4]
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