Esther Muchinga, a defender for Zanaco Ladies Football Club, believes her hard work has paid off after being named to the final squad for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
On Wednesday, Copper Queens head coach Bruce Mwape announced his 22-member squad for the 2024 Olympics Women’s Football Tournament.
Notable players who have been left out include Magret Belemu and Ireen Lungu, while Evarine Katongo was ruled out due to injury.
Mwape revealed that he picked Diana Banda of the Green Buffaloes and Muchinga of the Zanaco Ladies ahead of Belemu because they showed readiness for the tournament.
“For Belemu, the criteria that we used was just competition. In that position, we had about three players. I’m sure you have heard the names she was competing with: [Esther] Siamfuko, Diana [Banda] and of course herself. So out of the three, we picked two, and those are the ones that showed that they’re ready to play at the Olympic tournament,” Mwape told a press conference at Football House in Lusaka on Wednesday.
“The other thing I can say is that she [Belemu] also went for military training from there; she’s slightly off. I cannot say she cannot play. But those two showed that they’re better than her at the moment.”
Muchinga reacts to national team call-up
Muchinga, who is expected to take Belemu’s place in the team, tells Bolanews that she will not disappoint the Zambians.
“I’m super excited because my hard work has paid off, “ she said in an interview. ” And it wasn’t easy. Zambians are expecting a lot from me and I will not disappoint them.
“I just have to work hard and if given a chance, I just have to prove.”
This is Muchinga’s third national team call-up, and she hopes to make her Olympic debut.
She appeared in 29 matches for Zanaco in the 2023/24 FAZ Women’s Super League season.
The Copper Queens are expected to travel to Europe this weekend for an international training camp, where they will face New Zealand on July 13 in Lyon, France, ahead of the global showpiece.
They are in Group B with the United States, Australia, and Germany.
Mwape’s lasses will begin their campaign against the United States on July 25th at the Stade de Nice.
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