Zambia’s Barbra Banda becomes first African woman to be included in FIFPRO XI

Zambia and Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda has become the first African player to ever make the FIFPRO Women's World 11. Banda joined the NWSL and made an immediate impact during the 2024 season, where she was a finalist for MVP.

She finished second in the Golden Boot race, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists, including four braces, tying the single-season league record during the regular season. During the Pride’s 2024 playoff run, she scored in every game, including the game-winning goal in the NWSL Championship, earning the NWSL Championship MVP award.

Of the Pride’s eight goals in postseason play, Banda scored four of them. On the international stage, Banda represented Zambia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she scored four goals—tied for the second-most in the tournament—including a hat trick against Australia.

Banda made history as the first player in women’s football to score three hat tricks at the Olympic Games. She was also named a finalist for the Ballon d’Or and won the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

The full FIFPRO Women’s World XI team:

Goalkeeper: Mary Earps (Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain, England)

Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Barcelona/Chelsea, England), Olga Carmona (Real Madrid, Spain), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England)

Midfielders: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona, Spain), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain), Keira Walsh (Barcelona, England)

Forwards: Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride, Zambia), Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid, Colombia), Lauren James (Chelsea, England), Marta (Orlando Pride, Brazil)

The team was announced by FIFA today, December 9, 2024.

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