Chipolopolo midfielder Joseph Liteta revealed that he watched Enock Mwepu as a kid, extolling the former Copper Bullets captain and lauding his influence on the game.
Liteta started for Cagliari Calcio last Saturday in an Italian Serie A fixture against 36-time champions Juventus. The Rossoblu suffered a 2-1 defeat against the Bianconeri at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.
Cagliari stunned the hosts in the 26th minute, going in front through Sebastiano Esposito, who finished a cutback from Marco Palestra. Juventus replied almost instantly when Keyan Yildiz poked the ball into the back of the net in the 27th minute.
Yildiz completed the comeback just before halftime, dispatching his shot into the bottom right corner after outpacing a defender in the box.
Liteta lasted 53 minutes in the match, completing 22 of his 26 passes (85%), registering a long ball accuracy of 100% and making two interceptions. With his appearance against Juventus, Liteta became the first player since Enock Mwepu to play against the most successful team in a top-five European league.
Before his premature retirement due to a hereditary heart condition, Mwepu lined up against 20-time English champions Manchester United, suffering a 2-1 loss with Brighton and Hove Albion in 2022.
Speaking about Enock Mwepu to BolaNews, Liteta said, “He’s definitely someone we grew up watching. And his technical abilities and everything were amazing.”
While inspired and influenced by Mwepu, Liteta played down any comparisons to the Zambian legend, stating that he wants to make his own name.
“We’ll do our level best. We give him (Mwepu) the respect. It’s now our time to make our own history,” Liteta added.
Liteta has been sensational for Cagliari Calcio, earning a place in the first team under former youth coach Fabio Pisacane, with whom he won the Coppa Italia Primavera last season.
He has since been called up to the Zambian national team, making the 55-man provisional squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
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