Zambia and Bay FC striker Racheal Kundananji won the inaugural COSAFA Best Female Player of the Year award, ahead of her compatriot and Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda and Malawian striker Tabitha Chawinga, who plays for PSG in France.
Kundananji won the award after impressive performances for her former club Madrid FC and Zambia. She scored 33 goals last season, including one at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
She scored 25 of her 33 goals in Liga F for Madrid CFF, finishing second in the Spanish league behind Alba Redondo, who scored 28.
Kundananji, who became the most expensive player in women’s football history in February after signing an $800,000 contract with Bay FC in the United States, described the award as an honour.
“It is such an honour and I really appreciate this award and this opportunity,” Kundananji told Cosafa media. “It is not easy, among thousands of players, to be chosen for this award. I had a lot of highlights in 2023, but I think my favourite was at club level against Barcelona when I scored two goals. Scoring against those (incredible) teams is such a great moment.”
READ ALSO: Kundananji becomes the second African to win a Marca women’s sports award
Referee Dianna Chikotesha was also another Zambian to receive an award, as she was named the best female referee of the year.
Bafana Bafana and Al Ahly SC talisman, Percy Tau won the Men’s Player of the Year award after a stellar 2023 with the Egyptian giants Al Ahly and the South Africa national team.
Tau led Ahly to CAF Champions League and Egyptian Premier League success and scored for
the club at the FIFA Club World Cup in an eye-catching 2023.
Below is the list of all winners at the 2023 Cosafa awards
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Percy Tau (South Africa)
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Racheal Kundananji (Zambia)
MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
Rulani Mokwena (Mamelodi Sundowns)
WOMEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
Dr Desiree Ellis (South Africa)
MEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Ronwen Williams (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa)
WOMEN’S GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies & South Africa)
MEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER
Thapelo Maseko (Mamelodi Sundowns & South Africa)
WOMEN’S MOST PROMISING PLAYER
Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Academy & Malawi)
COSAFA BEST MALE REFEREE
Jerson Dos Santos (Angola)
COSAFA BEST FEMALE REFEREE
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)
COSAFA MOST PROMISING REFEREE
Tsiaro Randriambololoma (Madagascar)
COSAFA REFEREE LEGEND
Victor Gomes (South Africa)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT FOR SERVICES AS A PLAYER
Janine van Wyk
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO REFEREEING
Felix Tangawarima
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Fran Hilton-Smith
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO COACHING
Sunday Chidzambwa
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN SERVICES TO THE MEDIA
Mark Gleeson
