Article published on 26th April, 2013
Author Zambian football  Historian and Researcher Jerry Muchimba
ZamFoot brings to you a list of the oldest players to have featured for Zambia on the assumption that the reported ages are correct.
Leading the list is Kalusha Bwalya who was aged 41 years and 96 days when he featured for Zambia in the 2004 COSAFA Cup final against Angola at the Independence Stadium in Lusaka on 20th November 2004. As everyone knows, he missed his penalty in the shoot-out to hand Angola the trophy and finally bring down the curtain on an illustrious playing career.
Born on 16th August 1963, Kalusha is also the oldest player to score for Zambia when he got the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Liberia at the same venue on 4th September 2004 in a World Cup qualifier.
Former English forward Jackie Sewell set the record for the oldest player way back in September 1965 when he featured for Zambia aged 38 years 238 days. This stood for almost 30 years until Kalusha who was then coaching the national team made a substitution and took to the field to score the winning goal against Liberia.
The oldest active player is Joseph Musonda who has over 100 caps for Zambia and was 35 years 298 days when he donned Zambia’s jersey in the lacklustre 1-1 draw with Lesotho in Maseru. Musonda, who turns 36 next month, has not mentioned any plans about retiring.
Dickson Makwaza set the record for a Zambian born player when he played his last match against Mozambique in June 1975, a record which was broken five years later by Godfrey Chitalu in December 1980. Ashols Melu took over the record when he played against Ivory Coast at CAN 1992 and this stood for almost ten years.
Others on the list are Gibby Mbasela, Elijah Tana, goalkeepers Efford Chabala and Richard Mwanza, and interestingly brothers Mordon and Kenneth Malitoli.
List of Oldest Players
| Name | DOB | Last Appearance | Opponents | Â Age | |
| 1 | Kalusha Bwalya | 16-Aug-63 | 20-Nov-04 | Angola | 41 years 96 days |
| 2 | Jackie Sewell | 24-Jan-27 | 19-Sep-65 | Kenya | 38 years 238 days |
| 3 | Joseph Musonda | 30-May-77 | 24-Mar-13 | Lesotho | 35 years 298 days |
| 4 | Ashols Melu | 06-Jun-57 | 20-Jan-92 | Ivory Coast | 34 years 228 days |
| 5 | Gibby Mbasela | 24-Oct-62 | 09-Apr-97 | Zaire | 34 years 167 days |
| 6 | Elijah Tana | 28-Feb-75 | 27-Jan-09 | South Africa | 33 years 333 days |
| 7 | Richard Mwanza | 05-May-59 | 30-Jan-93 | Namibia | 33 years 270 days |
| 8 | Mordon Malitoli | 05-Aug-64 | 13-Feb-98 | Egypt | 33 years 192 days |
| 9 | Kenneth Malitoli | 20-Aug-66 | 16-Dec-99 | Honduras | 33 years 118 days |
| 10 | Efford Chabala | 02-Feb-60 | 25-Apr-93 | Mauritius | 33 years 84 days |
| 11 | Godfrey Chitalu | 22-Oct-47 | 12-Dec-80 | Kenya | 33 years 51 days |
| 12 | Dickson Makwaza | 15-Jul-42 | 29-Jun-75 | Mozambique | 32 years 349 days |
