Nora Häuptle has shared her unique approach to overcoming language barriers while working with the Copper Queens, Zambia’s national women’s football team.
Häuptle, who has been tasked with leading the team through to the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which will run from July 5 to 26, 2025 in Morocco, revealed how she has managed to build rapport and communicate effectively with the players despite not being a native English speaker or any Zambian language.
The Copper Queens are currently in camp, preparing for two friendly matches against Malawi on February 22 and 25 at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka. The matches are part of their preparation for the WAFCON.
Football a universal language
Häuptle spoke at a press conference at Football House on Friday, explaining how she’s overcome language barriers. With the majority of the girls unable to express themselves in English, she admits that it is not her native language either. Despite this, she has discovered that the language of football is universally understood, allowing for easy interactions on the pitch.
“No, basically so far, yeah, I speak English; it’s also not my mother tongue, but I speak English,” Hauptle said. “What we have done already this week is a work on vocabulary on football language because I believe football is like a universal language. A lot of things players don’t need to speak too much. It’s about bringing them into the exercises, and they pick it up so quickly.”
The coach’s belief in football as a universal language stems from the notion that the game goes beyond verbal communication. Drills, exercises, and nonverbal cues enable players to understand tactical instructions and execute them on the pitch without the need for lengthy dialogue.
Despite this, Hauptle has made a concerted effort to learn the local language to better connect with the players off the field. “But you see, I learned, bwela (come), yenda (go), fakapo (put) , siya (leave), fendela (move) , kusongolo (in front), tiye (go)… So you see I’m picking up; I’m figuring it out,” she said. “We have a playbook, and it’s important that we have a common language. They don’t need to speak on the pitch.”
Häuptle has announced her first squad for the two friendly matches, which features a mix of seasoned players alongside fresh faces, including Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.
READ MORE: “There Is No Friendly Match” – Fazili On Copper Queens Against Scorchers Intl Friendly Match
