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Grace Chanda (born 11 June 1997) is a Zambian professional football midfielder who plays for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Zambia national team.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 11 June 1997[1] | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Zambia | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||
Current team | Orlando Pride | |||||||||||||
| Number | 23 | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2015–2020 | ZESCO United | 26+ | (86+) | |||||||||||
| 2021 | Red Arrows | ? | (35) | |||||||||||
| 2022 | BIIK Kazygurt | ? | (?) | |||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Madrid CFF | 28 | (4) | |||||||||||
| 2024– | Orlando Pride | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Zambia U17 | 3 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2018– | Zambia | 31 | (19) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 June 2023 | ||||||||||||||
Chanda previously played in her native Zambia with ZESCO United and the Red Arrows, as well as in Kazakhstan with BIIK Kazygurt and in Spain for Madrid CFF. She was one of three players shortlisted for African Women's Footballer of the Year in 2022.
Early years
In 2018, Chanda scored 86 goals in 26 games for ZESCO United.[2]
Ahead of the newly created FAZ Women's Super Division national championship in 2021, Chanda signed for Red Arrows.[3] Red Arrows finished second behind Green Buffaloes but individually Chanda won the golden boot for the 2021 season, scoring 35 goals in total, and was named FAZ Women's Player of the Year.[4]
BIIK Kazygurt, 2022
In March 2022, Chanda signed with BIIK Kazygurt of the Kazakhstani Championship.[5] On August 18, 2022, she scored a hat-trick on her UEFA Women's Champions League debut in a 5–1 victory over ŽNK Split during the 2022–23 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifying stage.[2] She was the first Zambian women's footballer to do so.[2]
Madrid CFF, 2022–2024
On September 3, 2022, Chanda signed with Madrid CFF in Spain's top division Liga F on a two-year contract.[6] She made her debut on September 24 during a 3–1 win against FC Levante Las Planas.[7] In October, she scored a goal and provided an assist to help lift Madrid to a 4–0 win over Real Betis.[8][9] During the team's match against Atlético Madrid, she scored the equalizer goal after subbing in at the half resulting in a 1–1 draw.[9] She finished the 2022–23 season with three goals and two assists.[10] Madrid finished in fifth place.[11] Chanda spent the majority of the 2023–24 season sidelined having been taken ill at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in July 2023. She remained in hospital in New Zealand throughout August, eventually returning to light training with Madrid in September although did not return to playing until May 2024.[12]
Orlando Pride, 2024–
On May 30, 2024, Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League announced the signing of Chanda as a free agent until 2025 with an option for 2026. She was scheduled to join the club following the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics.[13] However, she was placed on the Season Ending Injury list in August after suffering a ruptured quadriceps tendon in her right leg while on international duty.[14] Orlando filed a grievance with FIFA against the Football Association of Zambia for "failing to provide a reasonable standard of care for player health and safety" after Chanda was asked to continue training and playing during Zambia's opening match of the Olympics while injured.[15]
Chanda represented Zambia at the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations and 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations.[1][16]
Chanda was the top goalscorer with eight goals at the 2020 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the Olympic-qualifying tournament for Africa[17] and helped Zambia qualify for their first Olympics.[18]
Chanda was one of three players shortlisted for African Women's Footballer of the Year in 2022.[19]
On the eve of Zambia's FIFA Women's World Cup debut in July 2023, Chanda was ruled out of the tournament with illness.[20]
Chanda notes American striker Alex Morgan as a football idol.[18]
International goals
Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first
BIIK Kazygurt
- Kazakhstani Championship: 2022
Zambia
- Women's Africa Cup of Nations third place: 2022
Individual
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