Famous Soccer Players from Malawi

Africa is a continent that has produced some of the best soccer plays to exist. Most of these players have been recognized as coming from West Africa and North Africa. What people don’t talk about as much are the gifted players to come out of the smaller African countries such as Malawi. Soccer is massive in Malawi, with large crowds turning up on game day to support their favorite team. They even have live betting odds on the games that are played, and it is taken very seriously. It is no surprise then that the country has produced some superstars that have gone on to have very successful careers playing at the highest level. Here are some of the most famous soccer players that come from Malawi.

Robert Ng’ambi

Robert Ng’ambi is regarded as being one of the best midfielders to come out of the country of Malawi. Throughout his career, he played for several different teams. The most popular teams that Ng’ambi played for are the Black Leopards, who he signed for back in 2005, and the Platinum Stars, where he helped them win a number of trophies such as the Telkom Knockout Cup in 2013. During his time with the Black Leopards, he quickly became a popular player amongst fans, gaining a reputation for being a crucial component of the squad. In 2011 he helped them finish in second place in the Nedbank Cup, and whilst playing for the Black Leopards, he was given the player of the tournament award during the MTN8 in 2013.

Patrick Mabedi

Patrick Mabedi played in the Premier Soccer League and was widely regarded as being a very talented defender. Throughout his career, he achieved a number of accomplishments. In 2004, Mabedi played for the Kaizer Chiefs and captained them to two consecutive Premier Soccer League titles. But it doesn’t end there, he also played a part in winning two Super Bowls as well as the CAD African Cup Winner’s Cup. In addition to these titles, he also participated in winning 4 different Rothmans Cups and the BP Top 8 Cup with his team. To have this many accomplishments, you have to be a pretty special player, and it is clear that Patrick Mabedi was exactly that. Unfortunately, in 2006, Mabedi decided to hang up the boots and retire after playing his final season for the Moroka Swallows.

Russel Mwafulirwa

Russel Mwafulira is a player born in the small city of Zomba in 1983. He started his career as a professional footballer at the Silver Strikers. At 20 years of age, Mwafulirwa signed for then Jomo Cosmos, which is a soccer team in South Africa. During his four years at this club, he developed into a talented player and had a number of teams looking at him. Ajax Cape Town was the team that was lucky enough to sign him, and then in 2008, he joined IFK Norrkoping. At the national level, Russel Mwafulirwa represented his country in the 2020 Africa Cup of Nations.

Simplex Nthala

When people think about the greatest footballers to come out of a country, the number one role that is often skipped is the goalkeeper. Simplex Nthala is a player from the city of Blantyre who has had an established career as a successful goalkeeper for a number of teams. He currently plays for Clube Ferroviario de Nampula and has also played at an international level. Back in 2010, he played for Malawi against Angola and kept a clean sheet, winning 3-0 in the African Cup of Nations. 

Frank Mhango

Frank Mhango moved to South Africa back in 2013. Since then, he has played for several different Premier Soccer League teams, including Bloemfontein Celtic and Lamontville Golden Arrows. During his time at Bloemfontein Celtic, he almost grabbed the award for the season’s Absa Golden Boot, showing just how strong of a footballer he really was. Mhango had an eye for scoring goals. In 2016 he scored an impressive four goals against rivals, Mpumalanga Black Aces.

After this, Mhango went on to play for Bidvest Wits, where he helped them take the title for both the Absa Premiership and the MTN8 tournament. This was all achieved in his first season playing for the club.

Sharing is caring!