Patson Daka carried Zambia's national team through years of failing to reach AFCON between 2017 and 2023, dropping five goals during both the 2021 and 2023 qualifying campaigns when the squad desperately needed someone to step up. The Leicester City striker finished as joint top scorer with Victor Osimhen during one cycle and second highest behind him in another, but he dealt with brutal fan criticism after going nearly a year without scoring for club or country before finally ending the drought against Stoke City.
The Kafue Celtic product sits at 20 international goals as the highest-scoring active striker for the Chipolopolo, and he missed the most recent qualifiers because of injury, while Kennedy Musonda filled in with three goals to help secure their spot. Despite enduring insults and calls to drop him from the AFCON roster during his slump, Daka keeps showing up for his country and remains the best option for head coach Moses Sichone heading into the tournament in Morocco.
The Kafue Celtic product sits at 20 international goals as the highest-scoring active striker for the Chipolopolo, and he missed the most recent qualifiers because of injury, while Kennedy Musonda filled in with three goals to help secure their spot. Despite enduring insults and calls to drop him from the AFCON roster during his slump, Daka keeps showing up for his country and remains the best option for head coach Moses Sichone heading into the tournament in Morocco.
