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Barbra Banda

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Barbra Banda
Banda with Zambia in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-03-20) 20 March 2000 (age 24)[1]
Place of birth Lusaka, Zambia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Orlando Pride
Number 22
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Green Buffaloes
2018–2020 Logroño 28 (16)
2020–2023 Shanghai Shengli 13 (18)
2024– Orlando Pride 22 (13)
International career‡
2014 Zambia U-17 3 (0)
2016– Zambia 63 (57)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 July 2024

Barbra Banda (born 20 March 2000) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a striker for National Women's Soccer League club Orlando Pride and captains the Zambia national team.

Banda began her overseas career in Spain and China. In 2024, she signed with the Pride for the second-highest transfer fee in women's football history. In her first season in the NWSL, she led the Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship. She was named the championship MVP and voted the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year.

Banda has represented Zambia internationally since 2016. She is Africa's all-time top scorer in Olympic football history, having scored three hat tricks at two Olympic Games. She led Zambia to win the 2022 COSAFA Women's Cup, earning the Golden Ball with ten goals.

Banda is considered one of the top women's players in the world.

Early life

Banda was born in Lusaka, the Zambian capital. She began playing football around the age of seven playing on the streets.[2][3] Banda was inspired by her father who played football and would encourage her to practise.[4] She played with boys as the academy she attended did not have a girls team.[5] 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."[5]

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

After being inspired by Zambian professional boxer Catherine Phiri, Banda started boxing around age 14[4] first as an amateur and then after never losing a bout and other amateurs refusing to fight her, she turned professional.[2][6] Banda competed in five professional bouts and won all five before opting to focus on football.[7]

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.[4] She scored 16 goals in 28 matches with the club.[4]

Shanghai Shengli, 2020–2023

In January 2020, Banda signed with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shengli.[8] She scored in the 23rd minute of her debut for the club on August 23.[5] 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.[9][10]

Orlando Pride, 2024–present

On 7 March 2024, the National Women's Soccer League club Orlando Pride announced that they had signed Banda to a four-year contract through the 2027 season.[11] She transferred for a $740,000 fee, the second-highest in women's football history.[12] She made her club debut off the bench in a 1–0 win over the San Diego Wave on 19 April.[13] She made an impressive first start on 26 April, in which she assisted, scored, and drew a penalty in a 3–2 away win over the Washington Spirit.[14] She scored eight goals in her first seven games, tying Sophia Smith for the Golden Boot lead.[15] She was named NWSL Player of the Month for May with seven goals in five games, including three braces.[16] On July 7, she scored her 12th goal of the season to open a battle between the league's last two undefeated teams, the Orlando Pride and the Kansas City Current, which ended as a 2–1 win for the Pride.[17] Orlando won the NWSL Shield by finishing the regular season in first place, collecting the first trophy in club history.[18] Banda's 13 goals in the season were second in the league only to Kansas City's record-setting scorer Temwa Chawinga.[19] On November 8, in the first round of the playoffs, Banda scored two times in a 4–1 win over the Chicago Red Stars.[20] In the semifinals, she scored Orlando's second goal and assisted Marta for the third in a 3–2 win against the Kansas City Current.[21] She scored the only goal of the final on November 23, threading the ball past Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury at close range to secure a 1–0 victory. She was named the championship's MVP.[22][23] Her performance throughout the season led to her being named in the NWSL Best XI, nominated for the Ballon d'Or and NWSL MVP, and voted the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year.[24][25]

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.[4]

Senior

External videos
video icon Barbra Banda scores historic hat trick for Zambia retrieved 7 July 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.[26][7] 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.[27] 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.[28] She is Africa's all-time top scorer in Olympic history.[29][30]

On 6 July 2022, Banda and three 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.[31][32][33] The ruling sparked significant controversy, with Human Rights Watch describing it as a "clear violation" of her human rights.[34] 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. Banda was given the rank of sergeant, the highest among the group.[35]

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[36][37] Her ten goals earned her the Golden Ball for the best player of the tournament.[36]

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 compete by FIFA in December 2022.[38]

On 7 July 2023, she scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 12th minute of injury time, against FIFA #2-ranked Germany, leading #77-ranked Zambia to an astounding 3–2 upset. Banda was named Player of the Match.[39] Later that month, on July 31, Banda won player of the match in Zambia's first win in a World Cup, a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica.[40][41] In this game Banda scored Zambia's second-ever World Cup goal, a penalty kick which was also the 1,000th goal in Women's World Cup history.[42]

On 9 April 2024, she scored a brace in a 2–0 away extra-time victory over Morocco, qualifying her nation to the 2024 Summer Olympics by winning the home-and-away series 3–2 on aggregate.[43]

November 2024 saw her voted the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year after getting the most reader votes. This came after her performances in the 2024 Olympics, NWSL season, and NWSL playoffs, as well as her becoming the second most expensive women's signing in history.[44] Banda was the subject of an online attack by J. K. Rowling who implied she is male. Emma Hayes and Megan Rapinoe defended Banda.[45][46] On December 16, 2024, Banda was voted the African Women's Footballer of the Year for 2024.[47]

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.[48] 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."[49]

Banda joined Common Goal in 2019 pledging at least 1% of her salary to a collective fund that supports football charities around the world.[50]

Style of play

Banda is considered one of the best women's players in the world.[24][51] A prolific goal-scorer, she possesses rare speed, smart positioning, and creative finishing in front of net.[52] Banda notes Brazilian player Marta and Portuguese men's footballer Cristiano Ronaldo as players she admires.[53][4][54]

Career statistics

International goals

Main article: List of international goals scored by Barbra Banda

Honours

Orlando Pride

Zambia

Individual

See also

References

  1. ^ Barbra Banda – FIFA competition record (archived)
  2. ^ a b "Zambia's Barbra Banda: The striker who is also a boxer". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Barbra Banda: "We have something within us"". Olympics.org. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Ronaldo-inspired Zambian striker Barbra Banda: "I want to leave my mark in women's football."". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Ex-boxer Banda packing a punch for Shanghai". China Daily. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  6. ^ "In Zambia, women are boxing's stars". Seattle Globalist. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Zambia's Barbra Banda one to watch after stellar Tokyo 2020". DW. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  8. ^ Watkins, Claire (23 July 2021). "Barbra Banda isn't waiting around". The Equalizer. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  9. ^ Ahmadu, Samuel (11 October 2020). "Barbra Banda emerges as Chinese Women's Super League top scorer". Goal.com. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  10. ^ Mubanga Jnr, Aaron (12 October 2020). "Barbra Banda wins golden boot in her first season in China". Zambianfootball.co.zm. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Orlando Pride acquires Zambian International Barbra Banda, signing forward to four-year deal". orlandocitysc.com. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  12. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (5 March 2024). "Source: Orlando Pride acquire Barbra Banda for $740,000 fee, second largest in world history – Equalizer Soccer". Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Match Report: Orlando Pride remains unbeaten with 1-0 win over San Diego Wave FC". Orlando Pride. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  14. ^ Gramajo, Mike (27 April 2024). "Orlando Pride continues unbeaten start to season with win at Washington Spirit". WESH. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  15. ^ Kassouf, Jeff (24 May 2024). "Orlando sets NWSL record with 8th straight win behind Banda brace". ESPN. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Orlando Pride Forward Barbra Banda Named May Player of the Month, Presented by EA Sports". National Women's Soccer League. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  17. ^ Sperry, Daniel (7 July 2024). "Undefeated no more: Kansas City Current suffers first loss of NWSL season to Orlando". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  18. ^ a b NWSL (7 October 2024). "Orlando Pride Claims 2024 NWSL Shield". NWSL. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Temwa Chawinga wins 2024 NWSL Golden Boot". The Equalizer. 3 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Orlando Pride advance to NWSL semifinals with a 4-1 victory over Chicago Red Stars". Associated Press. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  21. ^ Rollins, Sean (17 November 2024). "Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Advance to NWSL Championship". The Mane Land. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  22. ^ Sperry, Daniel (23 November 2024). "Barbra Banda leads Orlando Pride to NWSL championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  23. ^ Osen, Avery (24 November 2024). "Barbra Banda's goal leads Orlando over Washington 1-0 for NWSL championship. Marta earns title". Associated Press. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Who is BBC Women's Footballer of the Year Banda?". BBC Sport. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  25. ^ "NWSL Reveals 2024 Individual Awards Finalists". Just Women's Sports. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  26. ^ "Barbra Banda: Zambian woman footballer packing a punch in China". France24. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  27. ^ Young, Ryan (21 July 2021). "Netherlands women's soccer blows out Zambia in historic win to open Olympics". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  28. ^ "China PR 4–4 Zambia". Fifa.com. 24 July 2021.
  29. ^ "Zambia's Barbra Banda on breaking Olympic record: I aim to become best in world". ESPN. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  30. ^ "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.
  31. ^ "Zambian soccer star Barbra Banda ineligible because of high testosterone". Washington Post. 6 July 2022.
  32. ^ "Zambia's Barbra Banda Out of WAFCON Due to Gender Eligibility Tests, per Report". Sports Illustrated. 6 July 2022.
  33. ^ "Women's World Cup 2023 team guides part 12: Zambia". The Guardian. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  34. ^ "Zambian Woman Footballer Sex Tested Because FIFA Allows It". Hrw.org. 13 July 2022.
  35. ^ Omotto, Joel (5 August 2022). "Zambia military promotes Banda & seven others after World Cup qualification, bronze medal at 2022 Wafcon". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
  36. ^ a b c "Double delight for Barbra Banda as Copper Queens sweep COSAFA individual awards". Zambia24. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Barbra Banda back 'with a bang' for Zambia after eligibility row". BBC. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  38. ^ "Barbra Banda eligible to play at Women's World Cup, says Fifa". BBC Sport. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  39. ^ "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.
  40. ^ "Zambia defeat Costa Rica to earn first-ever Women's World Cup points". The Guardian. Reuters. 31 July 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  41. ^ "Visa Player of the Match: Barbra Banda". FIFA. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  42. ^ "World Cup NOW: Zambia finishes on a high note with first World Cup win". FOX Sports.
  43. ^ Toufaily, Assile (9 April 2024). "Paris 2024 Olympics: Morocco Miss Out On Historic Qualification, Zambia Qualifies". Forbes.
  44. ^ "Barbra Banda wins BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award". BBC Sport. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  45. ^ "NWSL missed a chance to help Barbra Banda amid bad-". New York Times.
  46. ^ "Not even JK Rowling can take glory away from Barbra Banda". The Independent.
  47. ^ "Lookman, Banda and Williams are big winners at 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco". CAFonline.com. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  48. ^ "Barbra Banda Foundation, Annual Women's Challenge Cup Launched". Zambian Football. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  49. ^ "'Barbra Banda Foundation to inspire the girl-child'". Lusaka Sun. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  50. ^ "ntroducing our very first Zambian 🇿🇲 #CommonGoal members". Common Goal. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  51. ^ "ESPN FC Women's Rank: Top 50 soccer players of 2024". ESPN. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  52. ^ Yang, Steph (6 November 2024). "Barbra Banda: The softly-spoken Zambian goal scorer making noise with Orlando Pride". Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  53. ^ "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.
  54. ^ "Women's Footballer of the Year contender Banda". BBC. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  55. ^ a b Kassouf, Jeff (23 November 2024). "Banda the difference as Orlando Pride crowned NWSL champs". ESPN.
  56. ^ "Zambia claim maiden HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women's Championship title". COSAFA. 11 September 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  57. ^ "#CWSL | Topscorers of the League". China Women's Football - 中国女足. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  58. ^ "IFFHS WOMEN'S WORLD BEST INTERNATIONAL GOAL SCORER 2023". IFFHS. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  59. ^ "Barbra Banda wins BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award". BBC Sport. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  60. ^ NWSL (18 November 2024). "NWSL Announces Winners of 2024 NWSL Best XI Awards, presented by Amazon Prime | NWSL Announces Winners of 2024 NWSL Best XI Awards, presented by Amazon Prime". NWSL. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  61. ^ "Who is in the 2024 FIFPRO Women's World 11? | Aitana Bonmati, Barbra Banda & more!". FIFPRO. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  62. ^ "Lookman, Banda and Williams are big winners at 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco". CAF Online. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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