Swiss tactician Nora Häuptle released her 38-member Copper Queens provisional squad list for the 2026 Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) preparations on Sunday. A notable inclusion was US-born star of Zambian descent, Samiah Phiri, who is on the books of Evian Thonon Grande Genève Féminin in the French Seconde Ligue.
Phiri has previously expressed her desire to represent Zambia, telling BolaNews exclusively that she would love to play for the Zambia team and that it would be a great experience to represent the country of her father’s roots.
She got her first professional move last year, signing for French women’s top-flight side FC Nantes after impressing in United States college soccer with Pittsburgh.
However, with Häuptle already having the firepower of Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji at her disposal, what does Phiri bring to the Copper Queens squad?
BolaNews takes a closer look at her playstyle, tactical role, and key strengths as we shed more light on Zambia’s latest addition from the diaspora.
Phiri primarily operates as a central striker. She is pretty imposing and relatively tall for a women’s footballer. While her speed and acceleration are not as devastating as those of Banda or Kundananji, the 23-year-old is a quick and powerful runner thanks to her long strides.
Strength
Given her build, Phiri is quite strong, making it hard for defenders to knock her off the ball and giving her an edge in physical battles. The striker is also dominant in the air, as she usually comes out on top in aerial duels. Her hold-up play is excellent, which makes her a good outlet upfront, affording her teammates a chance to progress up the pitch. This comes easily to Phiri, owing to her physique and good close control.
Finishing
In front of the goal, she is a composed finisher. When presented with a chance, Phiri mostly opts for precision and placement over power. The former FC Nantes attacker usually finishes with her right foot but can also pop one in with her left.
IQ
In terms of her positioning, Phiri often maintains an advanced central position but occasionally drops into midfield and out wide to link up with her teammates. She is not the sort of striker to be heavily involved in build-up and can appear isolated at times.
Phiri is also proficient at making intelligent runs, either to her benefit or to that of her teammates. Her well-timed movements in behind the defence, between the centre backs or in the half space can be menacing. The Copper Queens newbie also makes plenty of selfless runs, dragging the defenders with her to create space for others. On the downside, she appears to be a bit too selfless at times and doesn’t attack the penalty box with the sort of hunger and conviction you expect from a centre forward.
The striker has a good cross on her and can take on players out wide, doing so more through efficient bursts than through trickery or flair.
Defense Attributes
When defending, she usually defends from the front. Albeit without intense pressing, Phiri does put off defenders and intercept passes through her extended reach and ability to cover ground with ease.
In a nutshell, Phiri is a physically imposing target forward, strong in hold-up play, adept at intelligent runs, a team player, and can take her chances with composure. For reference, her profile is quite similar to former Premier League stars Olivier Giroud and Edin Dzeko.
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