Captain Fantastic Katongo takes it personal
FORMER national team captain Christopher Katongo says he is organising a football match which will feature the 2012 Africa Cup winning team and the rest.
The match, which will precede the launch of his book ‘Behind the Story of 2012’, will take place on March 4. Katongo said in an interview yesterday that the venue for the match is yet to be finalised.
“This match will have the CK11 playing against the rest. This will happen on the day I will be launching my book,” the 2012 BBC African footballer of the year said.
Katongo said he decided to write this book, which highlights the struggles that he went through as captain of the victorious national team, as a way of inspiring young players. “I want the young people to be inspired as a lot of people doubted me when I said that I would lift the trophy,” he said.
“The book highlights what I went through as a captain during the time we lifted the cup.” Katongo has invited Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts Elvis Nkandu to be the guest of honour at the book launch.
And Nkandu has commended Katongo and his colleagues for the initiative to organise the match.
“This is commendable as it will go a long way in inspiring the young generation to lift yet another trophy,” he said.
“We are very committed to supporting Katongo and his friends on this very important event.”
For the first time in the country’s history, Zambia lifted the continental title after defeating Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast on penalties at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, which was co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Katongo launched his career at Butondo Western Tigers in Mufulira before moving to Kalulushi Modern Stars and later played for Green Buffaloes.
He starred for South Africa’s Jomos Cosmos, Danish side Brøndby, Armenia Bielefeld of German, Skoda Xanthi in Greece and Chinese club Henan Construction.
From China, Katongo headed back to South Africa where he featured for Golden Arrows and Bidvest Wits between 2014 and 2015.
[Zambia Daily Mail]