Former Copper Princesses team manager, Clementina Mazuba, has shared her pride and lasting memories from Zambia’s historic qualification for the 2014 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, while expressing optimism for the team’s future.
The Copper Princesses, led by Carol Kanyemba, will make their third appearance at the Women’s World Cup after a first-round exit in the 2024 edition in the Dominican Republic.
| Group F | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | —– | |
| 2 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | —– | |
| 3 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | —– | |
| 4 |  | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | —– | |
“As a proud team manager who started with the U17 Women’s Team to the Copper Queens now, the 2014 qualification for the U17 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica was an exhilarating experience,” Mazuba recalled in an interview with FIFA.com.
She described the tournament as a defining moment for the players and staff. “Some of my fondest memories were the team’s camaraderie and teamwork at the tournament. We had to overcome challenges and obstacles to achieve this goal and most importantly, the pride and joy of representing Zambia on the global stage is something that will stay with us forever.”
Mazuba, who has witnessed the growth of Zambia’s women’s football over the years, said the national side’s recent accomplishments, including back-to-back Olympic appearances and a debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, are proof of remarkable progress.
“It’s remarkable to see how far the team has come, with back-to-back Olympics and a World Cup appearance. The progress and achievements of individual players, such as Barbra Banda, are truly inspiring,” she said.
On the upcoming U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, Mazuba stressed the importance of building on recent successes.
“The goal is to continue building on their momentum and success, develop their skills and game further as well as inspire and empower more young girls and women in Zambia to pursue football careers. We are really looking forward to the U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco,” she added.
The U-17 Women’s World Cup is set to kick off on 17 October 2025 – 8 November 2025 in Morocco.
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