Over the past 60 years, football has brought both joy and heartache to many Zambians. As we celebrate our 60th independence anniversary, let’s set aside the painful moments and focus on the times our beautiful game has made us smile.
From historic debuts to continental triumphs, here are some of the key milestones that have shaped Zambian football over the past six decades.
1974: Historic AfCON Debut
After failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 1970 and 1972, Zambia finally earned a spot at the 1974 tournament in Egypt. The team made an immediate impact, finishing second in Group A with victories over Ivory Coast and Uganda, despite a loss to the hosts. In the semi-finals, Zambia triumphed over Congo Brazzaville with a 4-2 win.
This impressive run set up a final against neighbors, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), then known as Zaire. The initial final ended in a 2-2 draw, but Zambia lost 2-0 in the replay, settling for silver. It was a commendable achievement for their debut appearance. Twenty years later, Zambia reached the AFCON final again in Tunisia but narrowly lost 2-1 to Nigeria.
1988: Olympic Debut
In Zambian football history, 1988 is synonymous with the country’s stunning 4-0 victory over a highly favoured Italy side at the Summer Olympic Games in South Korea.
Under the guidance of Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu, Zambia competed in the Olympics and topped Group B after recording wins over Italy and Guatemala, along with a draw against Iraq.
The team progressed to the quarterfinals, where they faced Germany and were defeated 4-0.
2020: Women’s Team Qualifies for the Olympics
In recent years, women’s football has been a source of immense pride for Zambia. In 2020, the women’s national team qualified for the Olympics for the first time.
They secured their spot by defeating Cameroon 2-1 in the second leg of the final round at Nkoloma Stadium, overturning a 3-2 first-leg loss in Yaoundé to progress on away goals.
The story of their performance at the Tokyo Olympics is one for another day, but their qualification alone was a historic achievement and a source of joy.
2022: Women’s Team Wins AFCON Bronze and Qualifies for the World Cup
After several attempts, Zambia’s women’s team finally had something to celebrate at the AFCON in 2022.
The team reached the semi-finals, earning an automatic spot at the World Cup to be hosted in New Zealand and Australia. Although they lost 1-0 to South Africa in the semifinals, they redeemed themselves by defeating Nigeria to secure the bronze medal.
2017: Zambia Hosts and Hoists AfCON Under -20
2017 was a memorable year as eight nations gathered in Zambia for the Under-20 Africa Cup Nations (AfCON).
Beston Chambeshi and his boys did not disappoint, they went all the way to lift the cup in front of the home fans after a tense final against Senegal.
The team also qualified for the 2017 World Cup in South Korea and was on the way to ultimate glory, only to be rudely stopped by Italy in the quarterfinals.
2012: AfCON glory
The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations is arguably the most significant event in Zambia’s history since the country gained independence. After the only goalless draw throughout the tournament, Zambia defeated Ivory Coast 8–7 on penalties to win the title for the first time.
The fact that the Chipolopolo won the competition in Gabon—the same nation where the entire Zambia National Team perished in a 1993 air crash into the Atlantic Ocean—made it even more noteworthy.
Need I say more?
READ MORE: The History of Zambian Players in the English Premier League
