Zambia Internationals Join Zaragoza Women

Copper Queens striker Rachael Nachula and midfielder Hellen Mubanga have signed for Spanish women’s football team Zaragoza CFF.

The Zambia international players have both signed three-year deals with the club. Nachula transfers from current league champions the Green Buffaloes, while Mubanga leaves the Red Arrows.

“I am confident that, with my experience in Zambia and Africa, I will help Zaragoza gain promotion to the top league in Spain," Nachila told reporters. 

She added that ”It is every footballer’s dream to play in Europe, and this for me is a dream come true.”

Zaragoza tweeted a message to welcome Mubanga, saying that the 25-year-old midfielder would also help reinforce their attack. 

Both Mubanga and Nachula played a vital role in helping Zambia to qualify for its first ever Olympics, with Mubanga scoring the winning goal to beat Cameroon 2-1 in the final round of the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifiers in March.

The pair also impressed at the 2019 Cosafa Women’s Cup in South Africa, where Shepolopolo reached the final for the first time. Nachula was the top scorer of the competition, with ten goals. 

Indeed, Nachula has been the top goal-scorer in five of the last six seasons in Zambia. 

As well as representing her country at the Olympics for football, Nachula also competed in the 400m race at the 2008 games in Beijing, managing to reach the semi-finals. 

The duo’s transfer brings the number of Copper Queens playing outside of Zambia to five, with others including Misozi Zulu and Rachel Kundananji, both of whom play for BIIK Kazygurt in Kazakstan. 

Nachula switched sports mid-career from running, having competed for Zambia in 400m at the Beijing Olympics