Aime Mabika was born in Zambia to Congolese parents before moving to the United States of America. The 24-year-old center-back plays for Toronto FC in the Major League Soccer.
Mabika and British-born defender Frankie Musonda both pledged allegiance to play for Zambia in March 2022. The two made their debuts in two friendly matches against Benin and Congo Brazzaville but only Musonda was issued a Zambian passport later that year.
On June 8, 2023, FAZ secretary general Reuben Kamanga announced that Mabika had finally been awarded a Zambian passport. That meant he was now eligible to play for the Chipolopolo Boys.
Coach Avram Grant handed him a call-up ahead of the match against Ivory Coast that same month. But the former Inter Miami defender did not report for camp.
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In the latest selection, Mabika has not been called for the match against Comoros this Saturday.
When asked why, Grant says he does not want to talk about players who are not in his camp.
“He [Mabika] is not here, so I don’t want to speak about players who are not here,” he told reporters in Lusaka. “But I have said even to the players that we have today that for them to be in the squad, they need to have three things: first, quality; second, passion; and third, the desire to represent the country. Maybe what I said is one of the reasons [he is not here with us].”
Mabika has this season made 16 appearances in the MLS out of which he started 13 games for his Toronto side who are rock bottom in the league standings.
