Former Chipolopolo defender Hichani Himoonde has told BolaNews that Zambia has one of the best youthful teams in Africa.
Avram Grant’s men recently clinched qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in style as they topped Group G following back-to-back wins over Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone.
Himoonde, a 2012 AFCON-winning defender, says if the team continues with the same mentality, they are capable of restoring their World Cup qualification campaign.
“As a team, we have one of the best youthful teams in Africa, who have the heart of winning for the nation,” Himoonde stated. “My advice to the boys is that they should continue with the same form, heart, and spirit that they portrayed during the AFCON qualifiers, and they should also take that momentum to the remaining World Cup qualification games scheduled next year as well as the AFCON tournament.”
Himoonde to Chipolopolo technical bench
The 38-year-old former TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns defender has also urged the technical bench to employ an attacking strategy at next year’s AFCON.
“The advice I can give the technical bench is that we need to attack more. We need to remember that the best form of defence is a good attack. So once we have an attacking mentality, it will be easier to defend, unlike defending consistently.”
Himoonde is now fully committed to helping nurture the young talent in his neighbourhood, the Obama township of Lusaka.
“Yes, I am still involved in the football. My vision is youth development. Like you all know, I came through a youth football set-up from Panza Chiefs to Chiparamba to Edu Sport and finally to the Premier League side Lusaka Dynamos and the National Team. So, I have been helping the coaching staff at Obama United, where I reside, to help nurture the young talent in my area, and I hope that one day I can use my knowledge to help empower youth throughout the country,” he concluded.
