Copper Queens defender Pauline Zulu has revealed her desire to play professional football outside of the country.
The Elite Ladies Football Club defender was part of the team that qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Bruce Mwape’s side defeated Morocco 3-2 on aggregate to join Nigeria as the continent’s representative at the Games.
Zambia recovered from a 2-1 home defeat with a Barbra Banda brace on Wednesday morning in Rabat.
The Copper Queens will face the United States, Australia, and Germany in the tournament’s group stage.
Reflecting on her recent performance, Zulu says that she has settled in well with the national team since making her debut.
The 19-year-old Elite Ladies FC defender has formed a solid defensive partnership with Lushomo Mweemba, with the pair helping Zambia reach the COSAFA Women’s Championship final last year and keeping five clean sheets in their last eight games.
“I’m happy because I really worked hard for it,” Zulu told FAZ media. “I have gained some experience from the opportunities the technical bench has been giving me.”
The hard-tackling defender does not see herself playing in the Zambian Women’s Super League beyond next year.
“I want to play professional football outside of the country. That is my dream and vision. I’m going to achieve it one year from now,” the former Pataaki defender said.
Zulu has described the team’s qualification for the Olympics as a dream come true.
“It’s my first time being part of the team qualifying for the Olympics. It has always been my dream, and finally it has come to pass,” she said. “When we lost at home, we quickly adjusted because we knew that we were capable of winning away.”
She has warned opponents not to underestimate the Copper Queens if they return to the Olympics for the second consecutive time.
“Our target is not to be mere participants; we are going back to the Olympics to compete. I urge the supporters to continue rallying behind us as we will be playing the friendlies and the Olympics.”
Zulu, an exciting defensive stalwart, has also helped Zambia qualify for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), keeping two clean sheets against Angola.
The latest performance against Morocco has further cemented her place in the team that has kept two clean sheets in the Olympic qualifiers.
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