Zambian national team captain Barbra Banda has scooped the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) accolade for the most goals scored in international football by a women’s footballer in 2023.
The IFFHS Award for Women’s World Best International Goal Scorer is given to the women’s player with the most combined goals scored for the national team and in international club competitions.
Banda is the third player to win the award after Ellen White (2021) and Samantha Kerr (2022).
Her relentless form for the Copper Queens saw her notch 15 national team goals in 2023, more than any other women’s footballer on the planet.
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Prime among her 15 goals for Zambia last year was the spot-kick she converted in the Copper Queens’ 3-1 victory over Costa Rica at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
That strike was the 1000th goal in the history of the competition, and it eventually led to Zambia’s first-ever FIFA World Cup triumph.
Ruthless Banda’s victims in 2023
Prior to the tournament, Banda downed the second-best FIFA-ranked women’s national team after scoring twice in a 3-2 win against Germany.
On the African continent, Morocco and Angola were Banda’s biggest victims last year. The Atlas Lionesses were on the receiving end of five goals by the striker in the space of four days. Meanwhile, Angola were helpless, as she scored four times against them in the space of a week.
The Copper Queen took to her social media to react to the IFFHS Award, writing via her Instagram, “Happy to be the third player to win the IFFHS Award of WOMEN’S WORLD BEST INTERNATIONAL GOAL SCORER in 2023!
Following in the footsteps of women’s football legends Ellen White (2021) and Samantha Kerr (2022).”
Banda will be spearheading the Zambian women’s national team at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after being controversially sidelined from the previous edition.
The 23-year-old further dedicated the award to the Copper Queens.
“Thank you to all my teammates for the service and the coaches for the trust and guidance. To the fans, thank you for always being there for us as a team; this is for all of you.
Her compatriot Rachael Kundananji also had a fruitful year in front of goal for Zambia. She scored 12 goals for the Copper Queens last year.
Only Barbra Banda scored more national team goals in 2023 than Kundananji.
