It’s been a long year of great performances by African football stars, men and women, across the world. Titles have been won, reputations have been enhanced, and lots of heartwarming moments have been created. In this last few weeks of 2024, what remains is the sharing of awards and garlands.
As the curtain was raised on the most glamorous annual end of the year event in African football calendar this evening, the CAF Awards, a parade of top players from various countries across the continent took centre stage. Amongst them, Zambia’s Barbra Banda.
The expectation of all keen African football followers globally was that Barbra Banda would emerge as the Best Footballer in Africa in the Women’s category. Her performance and records in 2024, at club and national team levels, were simply staggering.
Rightfully, the expectations were met as CAF on this occasion did not disappoint the teeming fans of African football. With an overwhelming majority, Banda was named the African Footballer of the Year. It is fair and just recognition for the most outstanding woman footballer in this calendar year of 2024.
It wasn’t a surprise to any football fan. Afterall, she had earlier won the BBC award. That award’s shortlist was decided by a panel of independent football experts, and the winner was then selected by public vote.
“I am out of words to describe the feeling. All I can say is thank you to everyone, the organisers, BBC Sport, the experts who chose me for the nominee shortlist and each and everyone of you who voted, thank you.”, the highly elated Banda said after she received the BBC award. Tonight, football coaches and players from across the continent endorsed her for the CAF version.
Her 2024 records stand out. She took the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) by storm since moving to Orlando Pride from Shanghai Shengli in March 2024. The Zambian striker capped a free-scoring season for her new club with the NWSL championship-winning goal.
She continued her stellar performance in front of goal at international level.
She broke new ground at the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament by bagging a hat-trick against Australia.
She also scored a goal against Germany in the tournament taking her total to 4 despite Zambia not progressing to the knockout stage to finish as the second highest scorer behind Marie-Antoinette Katoto of France who scored 5.
She notched two trebles at the Tokyo 2020 Games, becoming first player to score three hat-tricks in the competition’s history.
She is certainly a lady for the big stage.
Banda became the 11th African footballer to win the women’s award since the inaugural ceremony of 2001 and she is the second Zambian – man or woman – to be so honoured after the legendary Kalusha Bwalya climbed the podium as African footballer of the year 1988.
Congratulations, Barbra Banda! Enjoy your reign at the top of the African football mountain!!
References:
- “Zambia’s Barbra Banda abused online after winning BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year amid gender storm” By Lawrence Ostlere for independent, 27 November 2024.
- “Asisat Oshoala wins fifth African Women’s Player of the Year award”. By Oludare, Shina (21 July 2022 for Goal, 21 July 2022.
- “Zambia’s Barbra Banda: The striker who is also a boxer”. BBC Sport. 8 July 2023.
- “Barbra Banda leads Orlando Pride to NWSL championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City”. By Sperry, Daniel for the The Kansas City Star. 23 November 2024.
- “Paris 2024 Olympics: Morocco Miss Out On Historic Qualification, Zambia Qualifies”. By Toufaily, Assile for Forbes. 9 April 2024.
- “Lookman, Banda and Williams are big winners at 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco”. CAF Online. 16 December 2024.
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Edited by Chris Adetayo
