I’ll be Zambia’s No.1 icon if I can Fashion cup win
Zambia is still looking for its first proper football icon – but Fashion Sakala wants to change all that.
The Rangers forward believes he can be the guy to finally put his country on the football map.
He’s already at one of Europe’s most famous clubs.
And reaching the Europa League Final in Seville last season made fans back home sit up and take note.
To truly become Zambia’s first superstar, though, Sakala knows he has to win trophies. And he aims to take the first step towards that at Hampden this afternoon.
Three decades ago, striker Kalusha Bwalya broke the mould by playing for PSV Eindhoven.
Right now, Leicester City’s Patson Daka is flying the flag in the Premier League.
But that’s about it. Ultimately, unlike most African nations, they’ve struggled to find a hero.
But Sakala is seeing change when he returns to Zambia.
Kids and adults alike want Rangers R shirts. Youngsters now pretend p to be Sakala whenever they t see him score on TV.
It means a lot to the 25-year-old to t be a role model for the next generation. g But he wants to take his h game to another level and be Zambia’s Z No.1 player.
Ahead of today’s Viaplay Cup Final F against Celtic, Sakala said: “In Zambia we’ve had great players p but no one has excelled in i Europe to become iconic.
“We’ve never had a player winning w the Champions League or o maybe even playing in the Europa E Final like I did.
“Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal – they’ve t all had iconic players who have h done well in Europe.
“Can I be that guy? I think I can. I’m I very confident.
“We now have a few Zambian players p who are doing very well.
“Hopefully one of us can be iconic i and win big titles.
“I can see a big difference when go back to Zambia. “Everything has changed because I’m at such a big club.
“It means a lot that kids will watch me in the cup final and see they can do it. When Rangers win or I score, a lot of kids back home
call themselves Fashion Sakala. I know the responsibilities I’m carrying back home and need to work extra hard to be iconic for the kids watching me.
“When I go to Zambia, I take 20 Rangers shirts to give out. When people know I’m coming I have loads of different messages saying: ‘Don’t forget my shirt!’”
Sakala already has an Old Firm goal to his name after he scored the equaliser against Celtic at Parkhead back in May.
He was also outstanding for Michael Beale’s side in the last derby at Ibrox which ended 2-2.
The former Spartak Moscow and Oostende forward thrives on the big occasion.
But he only discovered the Old Firm rivalry as a teenager when he moved to the city and could watch derbies on TV.
Sakala said: “I didn’t know about the Rangers v Celtic derby before 2014.
“That was when I moved out of my village in Zambia where we didn’t have a TV to watch games.
“When I moved I had the chance and discovered what a special derby it was.
“Did I ever think I would play in it? Honestly, I never thought I would be here. But by the grace of God, I made it here.
“Winning against Celtic is a different feeling, it has a big impact. When you win, it’s like: ‘ Wow, we did it’. That’s why I’m excited about the final.”