In the last decade there has been some stellar names who have donned the famous Chipolopolo jersey.
In this period (2005-2015), Zambia has qualified to six African Cup of Nations missing out on the 2004 edition.
Zambian also enjoyed its best moment during this same spell with an AFCON triumph in 2012.
Below the ZamFoot crew looks at the best five players.
1. Elijah Tana (ex-Nchanga Rangers. El Merriekh)
Dada as they called him was once earmaked as a future Chipolopolo coach by Herve Renard.
The former defence kingpin is one of the best defenders of his generation.
He is now at Nchanga Rangers as an assistant coach.
2.Stoppila Sunzu – The on loan Lille defender scored the last penalty in that AFCON final shootout.
He produced his best football between 2012 and 2014.
Calm, solid and comfortable on the ball. Had it not been for external factors, he could still be wearing the Chipolopolo arm band.
At secondary school he played as a striker and then as midfielder.
3.Kennedy Mweene – Though he is struggling for form at Sundowns, Kapalayi will go down in the history books alongside James Phiri and Efford Chabala as one of the greatest goalkeepers.
4.Rainford Kalaba – There was a time when Zambia would only tick when Kalaba was on song and hence the nickname ‘The Master’.
Moved to the left flank by Renard to accommodate the the partnership of Isaac Chansa and then emerging Nathan Sinkala.
Since then ba Mupa has arguably played his best football from that position.
5. Chris Katongo – He is the only player south of the equator to have been named BBC African Player of the year.
Neil Tovey and
Iwe the afcon winning captain and BBC African footballer of the year.He single handedly qualified Zambia to afcon 2010 after scoring all the three goals alone in the final crucial qualifier in south africa.
Best 11 of the last decade would make match more sense than best five.
Kennedy Mweene , James Phiri , Efford Chabala, Emmunel Mwape, Ken Mwape, Ghosti Mulenge. These have been among the most outstanding goalkeepers in Zambia
Vincent Chileshe and John Kaunda (now a FAZ employee and mostly leads teams onto the pitch) no doubt no nothing as Liwewe would say it, cant be behind the likes of James Phiri, hell no!
In the last decade means the last 10 years baba from 2005 to 2015
Response was to Greenfis who went beyond!!
5 Chris Katongo for captaining Chipolopolo to Zambias first Afcon…
i wud rate herve as the worst coach
Wow this guy is so boring and dull whose HEART is inclined to hurting HR even when the topic is not about him.grow up Chikaala!
You should have included chris katongo. He z also a legend
Without katongo the list is incomplete
Chris the greatest captain ever. The soldier will go down in history as the first chipolopolo captain to lead a mediocre to an Afcon gold.
Meaning Nkausu is the greatest right back ever? And Mayuka the Greatest Afcon scorer ever?
.Meant “mediocre team”
Katongo is de man
@ Green Fish, you are wrong James Phiri has never done anything for Zambia.In fact he is the waste goalkeeper we have ever had in the history of Zambian football,Collins Mbulo was even better than him.Had it not been for him, Zambia could have gone to the world cup in 1994 and lifted the AFCON cup against Nigerian in the same year.So James was useless, talk of Efford,Richard Mwansa, Boniface Banda,Muswala,Emmanuel & Kenny Mwape,Ghost Mulenga, Vincent Kalangula (jumbe) and many others, i will agree with you.
U can tok about best players in da last decade but thr hasn’t been any excitin/complete players tht can really dribble and go past defenders. We don’t produce such anymo except 1 game/tournament wonders. I hope 2 c 1 soonest.
Thats the top five. No doubt about it. If Andrew Sinkala and Moses Sichone were patriotic enough at least one of them would have been on the list.
Elijah Tana should not be anywhere near the best players in the last 5 years.
My best 5.
1. Katongo
2. Kalaba
3. Mweene
4. Sunzu
5. Mbesuma
Meat to say .. The last 10 years (Decade)
Ba Zamfoot, the nationai team traveled to maputo yesterday n ve not said anything. Wats wrong with u kanshi.
Is the game going to be shown on TV?
My top 5:
1. Kalaba
2. Mweene
3. Sunzu
4. Chris
5. Nathan
Gentlemen chris katongo is still our best captain without chris belive u me no cup at afcon 2012 he a solder who took things personal to rase the mood nd we luck such players curently
A decade means 10 years. Why are people trying to squeeze in players who are as old as myself. In the late 70s when Vincent Chileshe was at RASS and playing for Roan I was at Hillcrest in Livingstone, that was 40 years ago, or 4 decades ago.
Lets stick to the Title of the posting or qualify it before posting.
Emmanuel Mwape (AFCON, 1974); Ken Mwape, Ghost Mulenga, 1980; Efford Chabala (before 1993); James Phiri (1993);Collins Mbulo (1995), these are all decades ago not in the last decade.
Ba Kasama Boy. I am just wondering as well. Why people have to squeeze in players from the old school.
kekekeee interested bout ba kaizer chiefs worry becoz of mbesuma.lol
Fc Ural 3-1 Amker perm. Chisamba played 90 mints, im telling u Chisamba is on fire! go! ural captain go! lwandamina is a pathetic coach he dot give Chisamba & Lubambo 90 mints useless coach.
useless coach u cant finish chisamba & lubambo by not giving them 90 mints de to play 4 zambia guz they wil continue rise zambian flag in europe
ural is chesing 4 uefa spot go! ural go! chisamba wil play uefa next season. lwandamina u wil stil remain pathetic coach with yo plunks jack chirwa, chepeshi, mkandawire & donashan malama. Foolish!
@STAMPY you are such a boring guy and dull whose HEART is inclined to hurting HR even when the topic is not about him.grow up!
corruption wil take us no where we wil stil remain failias. We wil stil cebreting wins frm minows like mozambic lets celebrate after beating big guns of africa.
Even me to be de coach l can beat mozambic
mozambic & kenya there not de teams which u can gauge a coach. There are weak teams.
he failed to beat guinea bissau at home. very pathetic coach.
u wil proof 4 de game against de sudanese.
lwandamina thinks he can made his own players. but thats not football is.
chris should be # 1
We donot believe in names nowadays coz it will demand ba kalusha back in the pitch ,kalengo lunchanga festus and those defenders are a good new shoot
Yes Zambia has produced great players who ” ve donned Zambia’s colours. We ‘ve produced great defenders, midfielders, top strikers etc. But when we look at 52 years of Zambia;s soccer history. There are few players who can make first X1 in my Dream Team of last 52 Years. Without raising controversies, I ‘ll keep individual selection for my final choice to myself. Oh Yes, I’ve been keen follower of Zambian soccer throughout 60’s, 70’s, 80,’90. Further, I ‘VE authored Zambian soccer and total sports, So no one can question my authenticity on the matter.We all have standards and opinions. By my standards, there few in last 20 years who can make MY Dream Team x1.