Atletico Lusaka has emerged as Zambia’s biggest exporter of football talent, having sent 14 young players overseas in the last two years.
Among the club’s notable products are national team midfielder Miguel Chaiwa, who now plays for Young Boys in Switzerland; Joseph Sabobo Banda, currently with Hapoel Beer Sheva in Israel; and Kingston Mutandwa, who last season made history as only the second Zambian to play in Italy’s Serie A, featuring for Cagliari.
Most recently, the club exported Joseph Liteta, Gift Siame, and David Hamasenya to Europe—all under the age of 20.
“For us, it’s about the development of the players and not winning games. We want to develop players both technically and academically,” said Mauro Sanna, proprietor of Atletico Lusaka, in an interview with BolaNews.
Relegated from the MTN Super League last season, Atletico Lusaka remains the only club in the country with a squad composed entirely of Zambian players aged under 20, following a European-style training model focused on long-term development.
Age Cheating Not Helping Zambian Players- Sanna
Sanna emphasized that age cheating remains a major obstacle to Zambian players making it in Europe—something his club is actively working to combat.
“We do the trials on our own and subject the players to an MHRI scan so that we get the correct age of the players,” Sanna explained. “The clubs in Europe are not interested in signing players who are not under-20.”
He added that Atletico Lusaka regularly brings in professional trainers from Spain, including coaches affiliated with Barcelona, to prepare their players for European football.
Last season, the club’s entire squad was made up of Zambian players, with the oldest being just 18.5 years old.
“We have enough talent in Zambia, and we believe we can produce national team players but are we developing them well to play at the highest level? It’s important that the development of players becomes the first priority. That’s why here we only have Zambian players,” said Sanna.
Atletico Lusaka continues to scout for emerging talent and aims to export even more players in the coming years.
“We have built trust with top clubs in Europe. They believe in how we are developing these players. That’s why they come to us—otherwise, it’s not easy to market Zambian players,” Sanna concluded.
READ MORE: “With me, they will have opportunities,” says Cagliari coach on Liteta and co.
