The Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League has made a significant move by acquiring Zambian forward Barbra Banda for a club-record transfer fee. Banda has signed a four-year deal with the Pride, with the team paying a substantial $740,000 to Chinese Women’s Super League club Shanghai Shengli FC.
This transfer fee stands as the second-highest in women's soccer history, following closely behind the recent transfer of Zambia forward Racheal Kundananji to NWSL expansion team Bay FC for $788,000.
Barbra Banda rose to prominence as an international star after achieving a remarkable feat of scoring back-to-back hat tricks during the Tokyo Olympics. She netted three goals each against the Netherlands and China, showcasing her exceptional goal-scoring abilities on a global stage.
Pride's general manager expressed confidence in Banda's potential, highlighting her natural goal-scoring instincts and physical prowess as key assets that will bolster the team's attacking prowess for years to come.
In her previous stint with Shanghai Shengli, Banda demonstrated her scoring prowess by tallying 16 goals and providing five assists last year. Additionally, she clinched the Chinese league's Golden Boot in 2020 with an impressive tally of 18 goals in just 13 matches.
Having made her international debut in 2016, Banda has been a pivotal figure for the Zambian national team. Her notable contributions include scoring in Zambia's historic first-ever Women's World Cup victory, a 3-1 triumph over Costa Rica in New Zealand last summer. Notably, her goal marked the 1,000th goal scored in the tournament's storied history.
This acquisition marks a significant milestone for the Orlando Pride, as they secure the services of a talented and accomplished forward in Barbra Banda, who is poised to make a lasting impact in the NWSL and beyond.
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