A host of top quality centre backs have donned the famous copper and green Chipolopolo jersey.
For many former KK11 captain Dickson Makwaza is considered as the finest centre back Zambia has ever produced according to those who watched him including the likes of the late Dennis Liwewe.
On that list of top central defenders Mufulira Wanderers’ Ashios Melu has to be there. Melu started out as a striker and then played in midfield and before honing it out at the back and captained Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu 1988 Olympics side to the quarter finals in Seoul.
Other notables are former Green Buffaloes duo Jones Chiengi and Dick Chama.
The late Estone ‘Yellowman’ Mulenga, who also had a stint at Buffaloes before he trekked to Nkana is arguably one of the top 5.
Fighton Simukonda (Nkana), Micheal Musonda, Robert Watiyakeni (both Power Dynamos) and Samuel Chomba deserves a mention.
Then fast track that to post-Gabon era Elijah Litana, Harison ‘Wawa’ Chongo, Jones Mwewa, Elijah Tana, Moses Sichone and then Sunzu.
All in all, there’s a big question as which has been the best central defence pairing.
Zambianfootball.co.zm asked Power Dynamos’ no.1 fan Dinamo what his best Chipolopolo pair is.
“Those from the old school say Dickson Makwaza is the best defender Zambia has ever had. I never saw him play,” Dinamo said.
“Best pairing very difficult to tell but the best I have seen was the one with Eston [Mulenga] partnering [Samuel] Chomba or [Robert] Watiyakeni.
But despite picking the pre-Gabon era, Dinamo had special praise for the ’94 partnership
“Though I think the ’94 pair of [Elijah] Litana and Wawa [Harison Chongo] was good.
The ZamFoot Crew takes a look at the ‘Best III’ partnership post-Gabon era.
- Elijah ‘Dada’ Tana & Moses ‘Big Mo’ Sichone
Kalushia Bwalya’s famous quote ‘You can’t not mix oranges with apples’ summed up Moses Sichone’s Chipolopolo career.
‘Big Mo’ and Tana is a partnership Zambia did not benefit and never utilised them. The duo formed one of the best pairing in the league and helped Nchanga Rangers to the 1998 Zambian Super League title.
Tana went on to play in Sudan and Angola and kept then in-form El Hadji in his pocket at the 2002 AFCON.
For ‘Big Mo’ there’s very little to mention on the international stage except for his performance at the All Africa Games in 1999 when the Ben Bamfuchile coached side reached the final and lost to Cameroon.
This pairing was supposed to be the spine of the team for a decade alongside Andrew Sinkala and Gift Kampamba but due to football politics it never happened.
- Stoppila Sunzu & Hichani Himoonde
This is the ‘Royce and Rolls’ pairing and delivered the African Cup of Nations.
While Sunzu got all the plaudits for his performance, Hichani has been the unsung hero and its only now that he has been left out the team that his absence has be felt.
Hichani has been was a perfect partner for Sunzu. The duo complemented each other and can back that with AFCON gold medals.
Elijah Litana & Harison ‘Wawa’ Chongo
Sunzu n hh are the best
Honestly never watched much of Robert Watyakeni, and I think a critical part of the Estone Mulenga and Samuel Chomba pairing was galvanized by Effort Chabala. For me it will always be Elijah Litany and Harrison Chongo, and the reason I put them ahead of HH and Sunzu is because Litany and Chongo were equally Brilliant. Litany controlled the air while Chongo was an amazingly great stand up defender…He was not the sort to fly in with tackles but was amazing at physically keeping opposition at bay. Too young to comment on Makwaza and Chama.
Sorry, it’s supposed to be Litana. Spell check nayo
The best partnership was Eastone Mulenga and Samuel Chomba or Eastone Mulenga and Robert Watyakeni.
Agreed 100%
samuel chomba was not a cen tre half but a defensive midfielder people.
i watched eston & melu, i watched eston & chomba, also litana & chongo, moses & tana nd sunzu & hh. My best pair was eston nd chomba,
@Papa! Chomba was at times made to play as a defensive midfielder but his position was central defense (number 4). We grew up staying and watching these people!
You’re very right. Ba Chomba Watyakeni umwaiche alibalya number and with Godfrey “Dunga” Kangwa partnering Derby Mankinka in midfield and Patrick Bomber Banda lurking in midfield, bench yalibekata kuma last!
Litana and Wawa Chongo was the best becoz the two were evenly balanced inter dependant like non of the two was better than the other..can’t tok abt before 94 was too young however,the rest after this duo one was owez better than the other tok abt Sunzu/Hijani,Tana never had a complete partner mayb at club,Sichone neve rely iMpressed
Do you remember Egypt vs Zambia how Hossam Hassan in 1998 AFCON exposed that pairing by taking advantage of their weakness when Egypt beat Zambia 4 goals to zero. Watch the highlights again.
To Zayellow Eston Mulenga is amongst the best 2 or three centerbacks Zambia has ever had, what a complete package of a defender.
The best partnership was that of (yellowman) Eastone Mulenga and Samuel Chomba. The two were just good and unfortunately they died in a year when they were destined to achieve greater heights! Those who started watching football in 1994 please don’t argue! Some of us we have seen everyone.
Big Mose man marked Mustafa Hadgi at the afocon 98 and he was subtituted because of big mose memorable moment in chipolopolo coulours
I watched the KK 11 in Ndola shortly before they left for the 80 Olympics in Moscow which was boycotted by some nations…..in central defence we had Kampela Katumba…a lanky towering defender…he was very good. I dont remember who was his partner in central defence…but that team had Chitalu. Alex Chola, Jani Simulambo(c)….
Moffat Mutambo, Nathan Sinkala’s dad!
Evans “Gerd Muller” Katebe of Mighty was also in midfield!
Mine is the Afcon 82 pairing of Emmy Musonda (unfortunately had his leg amputated last week due to illness) and late Michael Musonda (Power). Watched the two Dicks (Chama and Makwaza) in 1975 versus Sudan at Dag but was too young to remember (Grade 3 at the time.
1. Michael Musonda was a faster version of Estone Mulenga and a tough man marker.
2. Emmy Musonda as Skipper (Captain Kaiser Kalambo was on the bench) was good in the air and a good organiser of our defence the back as stand in Captain as tough John Kalusa at left back had confined Kaiser Kalambo to the bench with Milton Muke at right back unbeateable and agile Ghost Mulenga in goal.
In the semi finals, the hosts Libya unable to beat our defence and a goal down to Peter Kaumba’s goal had to resort to deliberately beating our no-nonsense keeper Ghost Mulenga and only scored two dubious goals past substitue keeper Michael “Spinks” Bwalya. Ghana would’ve had it tough in the final with Zambia (Ghanaians brothers no pan intended but just my “justified” personal opinion).
Uncle Bobs it was a punch from a Libyan player to Ghost Mulengas head that caused his death. He was flown back home to Zambia before Zambia played Nigeria for the third place. Zambia beat Nigeria 3-0 in Libya. Players were only informed of the death of Ghost Mulenga after the match vs Nigeria ended. It was zee in the dressing room
Will never forget that
That is interesting. These players made some African great players shiver at the prospect of meeting KK11. I believe we have had some great players who even matched the European players- ask Italians in 1988 Seol Olympic Games