Copper Queens and Orlando Pride striker Barbra Banda is ranked third in ESPN FC Women’s Top 50 Players of 2024, while compatriot Rachael Kundananji, the world’s most expensive player, did not make the list.
At the start of the season, Banda made a big money move from Chinese club Shanghai Shengli to the bright spotlight of Orlando Pride in the NWSL for a transfer of £581,000 weeks after Kundananji joined Bay FC on a world record fee of £625,000 from CFF Madrid in Spain.
Banda has taken little time to settle in the United States of America National Women Soccer League (NWSL) where she has scored 15 goals in 23 matches in all competitions. The same cannot be said about Kundananji who has five goals in 22 matches for Bay.
Banda’s performances have also filtered to the national team where she has managed to find the back of the net nine times in as many games this year. She scored a hat-trick in Zambia’s 6 – 5 loss to Australia at the Olympic Games.
With such numbers in front of goal, it is little wonder that she has been ranked so highly, beating the likes of Tabitha Chawinga (19) and her sister Temwa (12) among other top performers of 2024.
The ranking comes six days after she scooped the Diamond TV Personality of the Year Award (POTYA) in the sportswomen’s category back home.
Banda reacts to ESPN’s ranking
Banda spoke briefly about her exploits of 2024.
“I think the greatest part [of 2024] is winning the Shield with Orlando. I think that was so amazing to me,” she told ESPN FC. “It was the first trophy that I’ve worn with any team since I started playing my professional football. So I feel it was a great moment for me,”
For the last three years, ESPN FC, an arm of American International Basic cable sports channel, ESPN has conducted the top 50 ranking, which is growing in reputation. This year’s list has been topped by Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmatí while USWNT defender Naomi Girma is in second.
2023 World Cup winners Spain have dominated the list with nine players, while there are six from France and World Cup runners-up England. In total, 19 different countries are represented, including players from Malawi and Zambia for the first time.
“We polled 18 women’s soccer experts from around the world. Current and former coaches for top-tier clubs teams or national teams, general managers, administrators and journalists were asked to anonymously pick their top 50 players of 2024. Using a ranked ballot, each No. 1 vote was worth 50 points, and each No. 50 vote was worth one point. At the end, we tallied up the points to get our list,” a citation from ESPN read in part.
