Barbra Banda

Barbra Banda (born 20 March 2000) is a Zambian footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese club Shanghai Shengli and captains the Zambia women's national football team.[2] As of July 2021, she is Africa's all-time top scorer in Olympic history. In 2020, she became the first woman footballer in Olympic history to score back-to-back hat tricks and the first to score two hat tricks in one tournament. In 2020, she was the top scorer in the Chinese Women's Super League.

Barbra Banda
Barbra Banda playing for Zambia in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-03-20) 20 March 2000[1]
Place of birth Lusaka, Zambia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Shanghai Shengli
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Green Buffaloes
2018–2020 Logroño 28 (16)
2020– Shanghai Shengli 13 (18)
International career‡
2014 Zambia U-17 3 (0)
2016– Zambia 52 (40)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 July 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 August 2023

In September 2022, Banda led Zambia to win their first 2022 COSAFA Women's Cup, the top women's international football tournament for national teams from Southern Africa. Her ten goals earned her the Golden Ball Award.

Early life

Banda was born in Lusaka, the Zambian capital. She began playing football around the age of seven playing on the streets.[3][4] Banda was inspired by her father who played football and would encourage her to practice.[5] She played with boys as the academy she attended did not have a girls team.[6] After her parents became concerned that her focus on the sport was interfering with schooling, she would sometimes sneak out and "throw them (boots) out the window, then go out the door, and they'd think maybe she's just going outside, and then I'd go round to get them."[6]

External video
video icon Zambia's Barbra Banda: The striker who is also a boxer retrieved July 7, 2023

After being inspired by Zambian professional boxer Catherine Phiri, Banda started boxing around age 14[5] first as an amateur and then after never losing a bout and other amateurs refusing to fight her, she turned professional.[3][7] Banda competed in five professional bouts and won all five before opting to focus on football.[8]

Club career

EDF Logroño, 2018–2019

Banda signed with Spanish first division club EDF Logroño in October 2018 becoming the first woman Zambian footballer to play in Europe.[5] She scored 16 goals in 28 matches with the club.[5]

Shanghai Shengli, 2020–

In January 2020, Banda signed with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shengli.[9] She scored in the 23rd minute of her debut for the club on August 23.[6] Banda went on to score 18 goals in 13 league matches to emerge as the 2020 Chinese Women's Super League Golden Boot winner for most goals scored in the league.[10][11]

International career

Junior

Banda represented the Zambia women's national under-17 football team in the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. She turned 14 during the tournament.[5]

Senior
External video
video icon Barbra Banda scores historic hat trick for Zambia retrieved July 7, 2023

On 6 March 2016, Banda made her senior team debut in a 2016 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Namibia.

Banda captained the Zambian squad at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, the first time Zambia competed at the international tournament.[12][8] During the team's first group stage match, Banda scored a hat trick against the Netherlands. The match ended 3–10, the worst ever loss for the Zambia women's national football team and the highest-scoring women's football match in Olympics history.[13] In their second group match, Banda scored another hat trick against China with the match ending in a 4–4 draw. She became the first woman footballer in Olympic history to score back-to-back hat tricks and the first to score two hat tricks in one tournament.[14] She is Africa's all-time top scorer in Olympic history.[15][16]

On July 6, 2022, Banda and three fellow teammates including striker Racheal Kundananji were ruled ineligible to compete for Zambia in the World Cup-qualifying tournament, Africa Cup of Nations, after a gender verification test found that their natural testosterone levels were above those allowed by the Confederation of African Football, which has stricter gender verification rules than the Olympics.[17][18][19] The ruling sparked significant controversy, with Human Rights Watch describing it as a "clear violation" of her human rights.[20] In August 2022, following Zambia's third-place finish at the tournament (and despite Banda not being able to compete), she and seven of her teammates were promoted by the Zambian Army with Banda given the highest rank of Sergeant amongst the group.[21]

In September 2022, Banda led Zambia to win their first 2022 COSAFA Women's Cup, the top women's international football tournament for national teams from Southern Africa[22][23] Her ten goals earned her the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament.[22]

In June 2023, Banda was named to the Zambian squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after being ruled eligible to complete by FIFA in December 2022.[24]

On July 7, 2023, she scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 12th minute of injury time, against #2 FIFA-ranked Germany leading #77 ranked Zambia to an astounding 3–2 upset. Banda was named Player of the Match.[25]

On July 31, 2023, Banda won player of the match in Zambia's first ever win in a World Cup against Costa Rica.[26][27]

International goals
Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
113 September 2017Barbourfields Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Malawi3–16–32017 COSAFA Women's Championship
215 September 2017 Zimbabwe1–01–1
317 September 2017 Madagascar2–02–1
42–1
521 September 2017 South Africa1–03–3
623 September 2017 Kenya1–11–1
74 April 2018National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tanzania1–23–32018 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification
83–3
910 June 2018Rufaro Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe Zimbabwe2–12–1
1013 September 2018Wolfson Stadium, Ibhayi, South Africa Lesotho2–02–02018 COSAFA Women's Championship
1118 September 2018 Mozambique3–03–0
124 November 2020 Lesotho1–08–02020 COSAFA Women's Championship
132–0
146–0
1528 November 2020Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo, Santiago, Chile Chile1–12–1Friendly
1610 April 2021Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa South Africa1–01–3
1721 July 2021Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, Japan Netherlands1–33–102020 Summer Olympics
182–10
193–10
20 24 July 2021  China 1–1 4–4
21 3–3
22 4–3
2311 February 2022Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia South Africa1–03–0Friendly
243–0
251 September 2022Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa Namibia1–02–02022 COSAFA Women's Championship
262–0
274 September 2022NMU Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa Lesotho1–07–0
282–0
294–0
305–0
316–0
326 September 2022Wolfson Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa Eswatini2–02–0
339 September 2022 Tanzania1–02–1
3411 September 2022Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, South Africa South Africa1–01–0 (a.e.t.)
3521 February 2023Miracle Sports Complex, Alanya, Turkey Uzbekistan4–04–02023 Turkish Women's Cup
367 April 2023Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea South Korea2–12–5Friendly
3730 June 2023Tissot Arena, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland  Switzerland2–13–3
387 July 2023Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer, Fürth, Germany Germany1–03–2
393–2
4031 July 2023Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand Costa Rica2–03–12023 FIFA Women's World Cup
4122 September 2023Père Jégo Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco Morocco1–02–0Friendly
422–0
4326 September 2023Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat, Morocco Morocco3–16–2
444–1
455–1

Honours

Zambia

Individual

Other work

In 2021, Banda launched the Barbra Banda Foundation which aims to support programs that promote empowerment for women and girls on issues of economic inequality, gender-based violence, lack of access to equal opportunities, teenage pregnancies, and early marriages using the power of sport. The foundation co-hosts an annual football tournament.[30] On the foundation, Banda said, "Like many, I did not come from a place of abundance and hence I understand what it means to need help and no one willing to help you. I have also experienced how much easier life gets when you have people ready to help you on your path to success."[31]

Banda joined Common Goal in 2019 pledging at least 1% of her salary to a collective fund that supports football charities around the world.[32]

Personal life

Banda notes Portuguese men's footballer Cristiano Ronaldo as a player she admires.[33][5]

See also

References
  1. Barbra Banda – FIFA competition record (archived)
  2. Barbra Banda at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  3. "Zambia's Barbra Banda: The striker who is also a boxer". BBC. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  4. "Barbra Banda: "We have something within us"". Olympics.org. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  5. "Ronaldo-inspired Zambian striker Barbra Banda: "I want to leave my mark in women's football."". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  6. "Ex-boxer Banda packing a punch for Shanghai". China Daily. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  7. "In Zambia, women are boxing's stars". Seattle Globalist. March 22, 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  8. "Zambia's Barbra Banda one to watch after stellar Tokyo 2020". DW. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  9. Watkins, Claire. "Barbra Banda isn't waiting around". The Equalizer. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  10. Ahmadu, Samuel (11 October 2020). "Barbra Banda emerges as Chinese Women's Super League top scorer". Goal.com. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
  11. Mubanga Jnr, Aaron (12 October 2020). "Barbra Banda wins golden boot in her first season in China". Zambianfootball.co.zm. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  12. "Barbra Banda: Zambian woman footballer packing a punch in China". France24. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  13. Young, Ryan (21 July 2021). "Netherlands women's soccer blows out Zambia in historic win to open Olympics". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  14. "China PR 4–4 Zambia". Fifa.com. 24 July 2021.
  15. "Zambia's Barbra Banda on breaking Olympic record: I aim to become best in world". ESPN. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  16. "Nightmare for Germany! World Cup favourites suffer shock warm-up friendly defeat to 77th-ranked Zambia with Barbra Banda netting stunning 102nd-minute winner". Goal.com. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  17. "Zambian soccer star Barbra Banda ineligible because of high testosterone". Washington Post. 6 July 2022.
  18. "Zambia's Barbra Banda Out of WAFCON Due to Gender Eligibility Tests, per Report". Sports Illustrated. 6 July 2022.
  19. "Women's World Cup 2023 team guides part 12: Zambia". The Guardian. July 9, 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  20. "Zambian Woman Footballer Sex Tested Because FIFA Allows It". Hrw.org. 13 July 2022.
  21. Omotto, Joel (5 August 2022). "Zambia military promotes Banda & seven others after World Cup qualification, bronze medal at 2022 Wafcon". Goal.com. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  22. "Double delight for Barbra Banda as Copper Queens sweep COSAFA individual awards". Zambia24. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  23. "Barbra Banda back 'with a bang' for Zambia after eligibility row". BBC. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  24. "Barbra Banda eligible to play at Women's World Cup, says Fifa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  25. "Banda answers Popp in 112th minute for Zambia to beat Germany 3-2 in Women's World Cup warmup". Associated Press. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  26. Reuters (2023-07-31). "Zambia defeat Costa Rica to earn first-ever Women's World Cup points". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-08-21. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  27. "Visa Player of the Match: Barbra Banda". FIFA. Jul 31, 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  28. "Zambia claim maiden HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women's Championship title". COSAFA. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  29. "#CWSL | Topscorers of the League". China Women's Football - 中国女足. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  30. "Barbra Banda Foundation, Annual Women's Challenge Cup Launched". Zambian Football. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  31. "'Barbra Banda Foundation to inspire the girl-child'". Lusaka Sun. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  32. "ntroducing our very first Zambian 🇿🇲 #CommonGoal members". Common Goal. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  33. "Two hat-tricks in two games: Zambia goal machine Banda taking the Olympics by storm". The Sporting News. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
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