Zambia’s football star, Barbra Banda, has etched her name in history by winning the prestigious 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award. Banda’s stellar performances over the year propelled her to beat Morocco’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie to the coveted prize, making her only the second Zambian to claim a CAF Player of the Year Award. The legendary Kalusha Bwalya was the first, winning the men’s accolade in 1988.
At just 24, Banda has enjoyed an extraordinary year, cementing her reputation as one of the most lethal strikers in global football. She secured a high-profile move to Orlando Pride, who shelled out the second-highest transfer fee in women’s football history to acquire her from Chinese side Shanghai Shengli. Her impact was immediate, guiding the Pride to their first-ever NWSL Shield title. Scoring 13 goals and providing six assists, Banda transformed Orlando Pride from underdogs into champions, showcasing her unmatched goal-scoring prowess and playmaking skills.
Banda’s exceptional year also saw her named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2024. Adding to her accolades, she became the first African player to feature in the FIFPRO Women’s World Best XI, a groundbreaking achievement that highlights her growing influence on the global stage.
Her brilliance shone brightest at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she added to her list of records. Banda scored a sensational hat-trick in a thrilling 6-5 group stage loss to Australia, her third hat-trick in a major international tournament. This feat saw her become the first player in Olympic women’s football history to register three hat-tricks across two Olympic Games. Banda now boasts an Olympic goal tally of nine goals, just five short of the legendary Cristiane’s record of 14 goals.
It was back in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when Banda first gained global recognition, scoring back-to-back hat-tricks against the Republic of China and the Netherlands. Though Zambia exited in the group stage, Banda’s historic performance was the turning point in her career, proving her ability to shine against the world’s elite.
Her remarkable exploits in club and international football made her a standout candidate for the 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year Award. With this victory, Banda not only solidifies her place among Africa’s football greats but also inspires a new generation of Zambian and African players to dream big.
