Kings Kangwa and Miguel Chaiwa have this season become the sixth and seventh Zambians to debut in the UEFA Champions League group stage since 1992.
However, the youngest to play in the competition since that time was Chipolopolo and Leicester City striker Patson Daka, who made his maiden appearance at the age of 20 years, 345 days.
Daka came on as a 72nd-minute substitute for hat-trick hero Erling Haaland in RB Salzburg’s 6-2 demolition of K.R.C. Genk in 2019.
That record has now been broken by Chaiwa, who debuted at 19 years, 5 months, and 27 days old.
He achieved the feat in BSC Young Boys’ 2-2 draw with Red Star Belgrade after being subbed on to play the last 16 minutes of the game.
Ultimately, Chaiwa last night mirrored former Zambian international Charles Musonda’s record of debuting in Europe’s major club competition as a teenager.
Before its rebranding, the UEFA Champions League was formerly known as the European Cup, where Musonda set the record.
In 1987, Musonda made his European Cup debut at 18 years and 25 days old in RSC Anderlecht’s 1-0 win over Malmö FF.
After the competition rebranded, he never made another appearance.
Musonda only made it to the bench against AC Millan and Werder Bremen in 1993.
Meanwhile, Daka remains the only Zambian to score in the competition’s group stage. He set the record in 2020 against KRC Genk in a 1-4 win with RB Salzburg.
Retired midfielder Enock Mwepu also holds the record for the most appearances made in the group stage by a Zambian.
Mwepu played eleven games for RB Salzburg, providing four assists in the competition.
