Player Profile: Biston Banda – Zambia U23 rising star
Osward Hamanyuma Jnr | April 8, 2019
Playing in the Super League for the very first time, Biston Banda is slowly winning hearts of many with his exceptional performance for the ‘Wildcat Boys’ who are performing beyond everyone’s expectations.
He was born on the 6th June 1999 in the capital city Lusaka. He has been playing football since he was a little boy and it is something he describes as a gift from God to be a football player.
Growing up in the Western part of Lusaka, Biston recalls going out with his friends to play football the whole day without even eating anything, they played a ball made of plastics known by many as “chimpombwa”; that’s how his typical day would start and end.
From playing chimpombwa in Lusaka West, Biston’s dreams of playing at the highest level is slowly becoming real. The journey dates back when he joined an amateur team by the name of Kashima United in 2013.
In his debut season in the Super Division – Biston has already scored 5 goals in 11 games for Circuit City despite predominantly playing on the flank
In 2015 he joined Wazemba FC but he started his professional football in 2016 when he joined by then Division 3 side Romeki FC. The Boy shone in his first season for Romeki and he was the league top scorer that campaign when he scored an impressive 17 goals.
Biston managed to help Romeki FC win promotion to Division 2. He continued with his goal scoring form, he only played the first round of the season with Romeki FC then he finished the season as a Police College player but he managed to score a total of 15 goals for both Romeki FC and Police College.
From playing Chipombwa in Lusaka West to donning national colors – The 20 year old is one of the few players who has broken into the U20 class of 2017 national team and earned a cap
Division 1 which is the second tier of Zambian football came calling, in 2018; Circuit City acquired his services and he did not disappoint at all. The striker who can also play on the flanks was Division 1 Zone 1 top scorer after notching 16 goals for the Wildcat Boys.
I look up to Lazarous Kambole because he has the fighting spirit to score goals and has the hunger to score more.” Biston Banda
This slow but steady rise has been a story to tell for a boy who started his career playing without boots, “2019 has been my best year in my football career so far,” He said.
He continued, “playing my first Super League game in Ndola against Buildcon and making my U23 national team debut is something I will cherish.”
He has started life in Super League on a bright note, he has already scored 5 goal for Circuit City so far and that led U23 national team coach Beston Chambeshi to summon him for a 2020 Olympic qualifiers match against Malawi and he made his debut when he came on as a second half substitute.
When asked who motivates him, Biston was not shy to mention Lazarous Kambole who has done exceptionally well for his club in the league and CAF engagements as well as for the national team. He said, “I look up to Lazarous Kambole because he has the fighting spirit to score goals and has the hunger to score more.”
Biston earned his first international cap against Malawi in an U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Zambia won 1-0.
Biston Banda has set his eyes on playing in the English Premier League in the next 5 years, his target is to rise the Zambian flag in Europe in a few years time.
Summary of Honours
2016 – Top Scorer FAZ Division 3 (Romeki)
2016 – League Winner FAZ Divsion 3 (Romeki)
2018 – Top Scorer FAZ Division 1 Zone 1 (Circuit City)
2019 – U23 National Team Cap