Frankie Musonda made his Zambia debut a year ago, having switched allegiance from England.
The 26-year-old first donned the Chipolopolo shirt on March 25, 2022, scoring against Congo Brazzaville in an international friendly.
Since then, the Scotland-based Ayr United FC defender has become a fan favourite and has secured a spot in the national team, earning the nickname ‘Remote Controller’ for his style of play, which includes giving instructions on the pitch and coordinating the backline.
Musonda is one of the Zambian players who appeared in all three of Chipolopolo’s Group F matches at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
He was instrumental in Zambia’s campaign at the AFCON, partnering with veteran and 2012 AFCON winner Stopilla Sunzu.
In Chipolopolo’s only defeat at the tournament, a 1-0 loss to Morocco, which ended their campaign after 1-1 draws with DR Congo and Tanzania, the former Luton Town defender made the most clearances (6) to ensure to keep Zambia in the game as Morocco fired from all angles.
‘We will be back stronger’- Musonda
Reacting to Zambia’s early exit from the AFCON , Musonda said in a post on Instagram, “We gave our all but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.”
He continued: “Of course, we are all disappointed. We will learn from this experience and be back stronger. It’s always an honour to wear this shirt. Thank you for your support. “
Musonda and the Chipolopolo Boys will now shift focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, set to resume in June.
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They will travel to Morocco for their third qualifier on June 5, 2024, after defeating Congo Brazaville 4-2 and losing 2-1 to Niger last year.
Zambia is in Group E alongside Morocco, Niger, Tanzania, and Congo Brazaville.
