Racheal Kundananji was playing on the sparse pitches of Zambia’s Copperbelt Province six years ago – but now the 23-year-old is the world’s most expensive female footballer in history.
It has been a remarkable ascent for the forward, an explosive talent who convinced Bay FC of the American National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to part with $860,000 (£685,000) in order to prise her away from Madrid CFF.
That fee eclipses the benchmark set by Keira Walsh’s £400,000 switch from Manchester City to Barcelona in 2022.
Significantly, Kundananji is the first African player, male or female, to break a world transfer record.
She is moving to the United States after a prolific 18-month spell in Madrid in which she scored 33 Liga F goals in 43 games.
The Zambia international is still coming to terms with the enormity of her transfer fee but knows the first place she can find support is from her homeland.
“People in Zambia will be surprised but they will be so happy,” Kundananji told BBC Sport Africa.
“A lot of people have encouraged me to work hard and some even said ‘maybe one day you’ll break some records’.
“This is the first one and I know there are more coming. I will do my level best and fight every time I play, like I always do.
“I want to give the [Bay FC] fans what they want – to enjoy the games, to enjoy seeing me playing and scoring.”
One of Kundananji’s new team-mates is someone who has been an example to her for several years.
In a strike partnership that will be the envy of clubs across the NWSL and wider world, the Zambian will join Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala in leading Bay FC’s line.
Oshoala, six times Africa’s player of the year, has been newly acquired from Barcelona.
“She’s been a great African player for a long time. A lot of us in Africa try to play like her,” Kundananji said, beaming.
Kundananji is endearingly modest and needs some convincing that she is now also a role model to young Africans.
The talented forward grew up as a Chelsea fan – watching Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in the Premier League, dreaming that one day she might emulate them.
“Every time I watched Chelsea I would see the camera following the individual players. I thought, ‘I just want to play football in front of a camera’,” she said.
“I thought about my face coming up on TV and my mum thinking, ‘Oh that’s my child’.”
A remarkable achievement made so far by Kundananji and one she will forever cherish in her heart. Finally she’s living her dreams.
