People often let players who are on the less flamboyant side of the game slip their mind once their career is over. One such star was Kalusha Bwalya.
The former Zambia international is one of the best players to have ever come out of the country, and he ended up not only making considerable waves on his own continent but in others as well, in a career that saw him earn silverware while breaking a few records along the way.
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His 21-year career began in the comfort of his home nation, having represented Mufulira Blackpool before making a move to Mufulira Wanderers FC in 1980, where he would spend the next six years. However, it was years that were well spent because in that period, Bwalya attracted the interest of European side Cercle Brugge, where the man who had affectionately been nicknamed "King Kalu" really began to make his mark.
After acclimatising to the European methodology of football and perhaps life in general, he went on to score 33 goals in 115 games for the Belgian side. During the 1987/88 league campaign, the former centre-forward scored 13 goals in 34 league games. He then went on to put the ball into the back of the net on 12 occasions in 29 matches the next season. The year 1988 seems to be a memorable one for the now 60-year-old as that was when he was crowned African Men's Player of the Year, becoming the first-ever Zambian footballer to achieve the remarkable feat.
His bright performances earned him a move to Eredivisie giants PSV Eindhoven in 1989, where he would spend the next five years. This period is arguably when he reached the peak of his career in terms of trophies as it certainly contributed to his cabinet. He was part of the side that won the Dutch league consecutively in 1990/91 and 1991/92, and scored 33 goals in 127 appearances for the Netherlands giants.
Before hanging up his boots in 2001, he spent majority of his final playing years playing in Mexico, with the exception of a six-month spell at United Arab Emirates club Al Wahda in 1998. He represented various clubs in the Central American country including Necaxa, Leon, Irapuato, Tiburones Rojos, Tiburones Rojos, and Correcaminos, where he retired.
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In 1996, he proved that no matter the country in which he played, his impact would always be greatly significant. Bwalya was nominated nominated for the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year and was voted as the 12th-best footballer at the time. It was also a special achievement because he became the first player to be nominated after spending an entire year playing at a club outside of Europe.
Internationally, he achieved great things too. The former PSV attacker made 100 appearances for Zambia, scoring 50 goals. He was also the top scorer, with five strikes, at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations, helping his national team finish tournament with a bronze medal.
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