GOALBarbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, both part of the Copper Queens, possess the world’s most valuable players in their lineup for Paris 2024.
In the 2021 Olympic women’s football tournament, Zambia made their debut as an unfamiliar team. With only four players from their squad playing for clubs outside their country, specifically in Israel, Kazakhstan, China, and Spain’s second division, their capabilities were relatively unknown. However, their impressive performance in Japan has earned them a spot in France, where they have the potential to achieve even greater success. Notably, their frontline now includes the two most expensive women’s footballers in history.
Racheal Kundananji shot to the top of that list in January, when NWSL expansion side Bay FC signed her for a world-record fee of $860,000 (£685k). Barbra Banda, her Zambia team-mate, snuck up just behind her in those rankings in March, the Orlando Pride paying $680k (£582k) to bring her to the U.S.
Zambia’s presence in major international tournaments was nonexistent before the previous Olympics. Their track record at the Africa Cup of Nations, with only one victory in three appearances, was far from impressive. However, the attention and substantial transfer fees being generated by some of the Copper Queens indicate the remarkable growth of women’s football in a country that was relatively unknown in the sport not long ago.
Zambia will face tough competition once again in the group stage at Paris 2024, as they are grouped with Australia, Germany, and the United States. Similar to their debut at the Olympics and last year’s World Cup, where Spain and Japan advanced at their expense, the odds will not be in Zambia’s favor. However, despite facing three teams with medal aspirations, the African nation possesses enough talent to potentially create difficulties and maybe even pull off a major upset.
