Zambia: Football Association of Zambia team Cooper Queen skipper Barbra Banda is nominated for the 2023 CAF Awards Player of the Year (Women).
The gala ceremony of the CAF awards will be hosted on Monday at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco, at 19H00 local time (18H00 GMT).
All teams are very excited, including Barbra Banda, as she showed her excitement in her interview in which she said, “I am very happy after making it to the top three shortlist for the 2023 CAF Awards, player of the year (Women).”
Banda has been nominated for the prestigious accolade alongside South African forward Thembi Kgatlana and five-time African Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala.
Banda is the second Zambian to make it to the top three shortlist in two years after Grace Chanda was nominated last year for the award eventually won by Oshoala.
She believes this is a sign Zambian Women’s football is moving in the right direction and developing.
The Copper Queens all time top goalscorer has also advised young players to work hard, be determined and maintain high discipline levels if they are to reach the highest levels in football.
“I feel great, and firstly, I want to say thanks to the people who voted for me to reach this far. I am very happy and excited to be nominated. It’s not easy to be among the best players on the continent,” She said.
Furthermore, she asserted, “My advice to young players is that they should keep working hard, be determined, and be disciplined. It’s the most cardinal. It’s not easy but the more the player puts effort, the more things keep getting better. So to all the young girls out there I encourage them to keep working hard, and be determined and most especially be disciplined in whatever they are doing whether on or off the pitch.”
“It means a lot for our country. It shows that Women’s Football is developing. We can only leave everything in God’s hands and keep working hard,” she added.
Banda has been in fine form for the Copper Queens, scoring 15 goals and setting up three goals in 15 games.
She also helped Shanghai Shengli in order to finish second in the China CFA Taiping Women’s Super Division with 16 goals to her name.
However, the ultimate winner of each category will be decided via votes from a panel consisting of the CAF Technical Committee media professionals from Member Associations. Head Coaches and captains of Member Associations and clubs will also involved in the group stages of the Interclub competitions.