Christopher Katongo has won the 2012 BBC African Footballer of the Year award.
The 30-year-old Zambia captain beat off competition from Demba Ba, Didier Drogba, Younes Belhanda and Yaya Toure to become the first winner from southern Africa in the history of the award.
According to Football Association of Zambia , the captain of reigning African champions Zambia was presented with the award at a ceremony in Lusaka by Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili and FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya.
“On behalf of the BBC, I am pleased to give this award and invite the president of the Football Association of Zambia Kalusha Bwalya to present it to Chris Katongo,” the BBC’s Farayi Mungadzi said before handing over the trophy to Kalusha.
“I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say but my heart is rejoicing. I am grateful to the people who have spoken through their democratic vote,” Katongo said after becoming the first east, central and southern African player to win the BBC annual player accolade.
FAZ chief Kalusha -the only player in the sub-region to win the coveted African Footballer of the Year in 1988 – commended Chris on the accolade.
He said Kalusha had carried the legacy of the greatness of the Zambia national team number “11” shirt very well.
“Well done Chris. This is a fantastic achievement in a year that we continue to achieve lots of success. You have stood out as leader and captain of the team. Ben would have been very proud of you because when we said no to retiring the number 11, we said Chris can continue with the great legacy of the shirt. You have done very well.
“ Congratulations too to your team colleagues, Herve Renard and his staff and all the people that continue to support us,” Kalusha said adding:
“You have continued the great legacy of the number 11 shirt. I’m sure you will remember the late Ben Bamfuchile who gave you your first national team game. When Ben was there, we discussed the shirt and when giving you that number 11, we said that this shirt can score goals on its own. The number itself scores the goals and you have lived up to it. Very well done.”
Kambwili dedicated the award to the rest of the team.
“It’s wonderful that we continue winning. You would not have been able to do it on your own that’s why I would like to dedicate this award to the whole national team,” Kambwili said.
Katongo saw off the challenge of Didier Drogba, Demba Ba, Yaya Toure and Youness Belhanda to win his first continental award.
Congrats Katongo. You have done Zambia proud and keep the flame burning. Its go, go Zambia next month in South Africa.
Proud of you!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
go for zambian football
congrats. You have done us proud.
An award well deserved and Recognised.. xxxxxx
Katongo! Katongo! Katongo go! Go Zambia, go! What a YEAR! Just the beginning of great things to come. Look out World, here we come!
Iyeeeeee ni ba Katongo!
Congrats katongo, your team and coaches.
Congrats Chris on this great achievement. But it’s not Kambwili’s Trophy for him to choose who it should be dedicated to. Katongo has the right to choose who to dedicate it. He can dedicate it to Bamfuchile or his grand mother if he wants. It’s not a team award. Go Zambia…
Here we go again!!! Zambia reigning champions…… I love Zambia!!! I love chipolopolo….. Eyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…… My heart just feels shouting like Eyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee chipolopoloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Elo yaguwa nomba cool! congrats, so how much did they give if i may ask?
Its time the Zambia Army commissioned him so that he can became a real Army Captain so that forever he can be captain. Congrats Chris and the entire Chipolopolo boys and coaches.
Do ka African Cup kaenga Chris…ni number 11 tata!
I WILL READ LATER. FIRST LET ME CONGRATULATE YOU. CONGRATS CHRIS. YOU TRULY DESERVE THAT AUREL. KEEP IT UP. NOW, LET ME READ THE STORY.
Mr, you made me laugh
Good news indeed.
Ifimahaters shame! Ba BBC are not Lalas, Tongas, Bembas, Lozis, etc but they just know one thing: Zambia and for Zambians. Next time I hear you fuus start ifyamatribes I will come and beat the hell out of you! Katongo never got intimidated by the so called “big names.” The young ones must now prove themselves and emulate their captain. Emmanuel, Jacob, Collins, guys you can also do it!
Congratulations Chris. You are a true buffalo soldier… Keep going man! By the way where is the little snobish btc going by the name of mushota. Does she think this is a stupid award too?
Ati Sunzu heading for Arsenal! Elo lwanya pa Zambia! Guys we love you! You are doing us proud! RSA there we come again January!
Congratulations ba Katongo!
Teti tubwelele panuma ba Katongo, teti tubwelele panuma!
Ya pa makasa, pa makasa yenu, teti tubwelele panuma!
Iyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Chipolopolooooooooooooooo!
Congrats Chris. EE BOOM
Congratulations…
The PF policies are working!
\:d/ dont kubeba, \:d/ dont kubeba, \:d/ dont kubeba..\:d/\:d/:)>-
Congrats !! we voted for you you we believe in you)
A big Big Up Chris. Hard work pays and not most of them politiikka people that get them bellies big in two months.
flag!!! I ain’t in Amerimaka.
Sometimes it depends which server has made the connection, hence the flag difference. But you will get your suomalainen flag.
Congratulations Chris, you’ve done Zambia pride.as sobelenge put it right, teti tubwelele panuma ba katongo..bringing the old memories of the zambia national team of the yester-years Go chipolopolo
Eya eh, twatemwa!
Well done Chris.
Mwabombeni mudala. Twatasha. Tulepepa kabumba akamilundilepo.
BBC award is not different from a Times of zambia award
It is an inferior award, the real award is African footballer of the year. This is not
I congratulate the boy though. I hope people know the difference
Ba Dokoto Zulu, who is mistaking the two awards here? Maybe it is just you!
And yes, if the corrupt dudes at CAF did not “summarily” remove Chris’ name from the final list, Chris would have won, hands down! At least the BBC awards are more democratic and transparent than CAF’s (AFoTY, etc.) wards run by jealousy and corrupt Issa Hayatou and his ilk!
How can a football captain who led an underrated team to the pinnacle of African football not be on the final list of candidates for footballer of the year award? But players whose teams Zambia hammered at the AFCON be included? Does this make sense to you?
Most of the award finalists, if not all, do well in European soccer but fail to inspire in African competitions. And AFoTY ward should reflect this fact—CHRIS WAS ROBED!
The CAF African Footballer of the Year awards were discredited after they did not even recognise Katongo on their nominations. The BBC awards are more credible and have actually embarrassed the CAF.
Wonderful news indeed.
Congrats Chris! We are proud of you and the glory boys in the national team.
I hope FIFA approves it.
BBC employing a Zimbabwean, Farai Mungadzi, I hope its not a scam. Is it the same guy who swindled Kalusha with a house?
CONGRATULATIONS mwaiche Katongo. All those insults we used to shower you in summer? You are a strong soldier!! CONGRATULATIONS Again.
I didn’t know #25 that you think like Munshololwa Musho..
Congratulations Chris..please get back to training – leave the photo opportunity sessions to the FAZ empty suits and Buffoon Kambwili….we have an important tournament next month and some friendlies next week!!
You are a real hypocrite. You were dissing Katongo and now you wanna be with him in his moment of glory
CAF stoopid CAF can u c who is the real African footballer of the year? Issa Hayatou Corrupt Hayatou You dropped the real African footballer of the Year for your Quislings
well done, chris! and guys thanks for voting on bbc website. YOUR VOICE made the difference. Proud to be Truly Zambian! Now lets kick some tako at the africa cup, babe!!!
Knee Kasai umwaiche uyu !! No Junior trait apart from surfacing in the Premier with Kalulushi modern stars which is near Congo !!
cheers u chap..for doing as proud..i had faith when i cast my vote just like i had faith before we won the cup..on both the times..there was the ivorian and senegelse threat but now we can say they are all in the past like ghana..come SA2013..any team in our way to destiny is going in a black hole of football never to be heard of like the flightless cranes of uganda..go go chipolopolo
juju works zoona! ati 30years when he is 48years old. Congrats
Yeah, and chakubaba because a “48 year old” guy is achieving on the international stage and your name is unknown even within your own komboni—-muzafa na jealous baba!!!!
Military training can do wonders to young men/women in terms of discipline and courage. Chris Katongo has just proven this point beautifully. He has shown that with discipline, dedication, and determination you can make the “timid” COURAGIOUS and the “underrated” WINNERS. This has been the story of the chipolopolo with Chris as captain.
Keep believing in yourselves ba Zambia and you may just prove the nay Sayers wrong again and DEFEND THE AFCON CUP! Keep working hard and believing in yourselves and you may just make these critics eat their own words allover again. Aim to be among the elites within the “exclusive club” of countries who have won the African Continental Cup and were able to consecutively defend it.
Congrats Chris, keep head high, you are an ACHIEVER!
Zambia is back on the football map again, thanks to a young talented team and less politicking by fat government officials and FAZ.
Congrates!
Well done Chris Katongo.
I am sooooooo sooo glad that I voted.
I hope ba pwele who are saying CONGRATS now,took the time to vote! Ba Kabwa! You are just loud mouthes but you do zit!!!
Zambians again!!!!!!!!! No the guy uses juju when he scores first no one scores again, this you are busy praising the guy for his well done job.Ala bola ni bola with or without juju yalikosa.Congrats mwandi boyi Katongo. Go on never look behind………..
Abana balala!! balala!!!
My biggest congratulation to you and this is right for you! Hooray!!!
Kojak, if the guy uses juju then no one scores that fine with me.It means every time he scores Zambia wins cause no one will score again not even the opponets.Just like when he scored against Ghana and Uganda.Meaning if it was another player who had scored Ghana could have equalised and scored another goal and we could have lost but since its Chris who scored no one could have scored again not even Ghana .Nostradamus CAF is biased they are skewed towards west and North africa.The BBC award is voted by fans not some stupid panel
Congrats CK 11, u deserve it
FOOTBALL is hard work, congratulations ba katongo hands up to the whole team for the support you render him.Keep the flame burning….
Katongo God is Great,chabababa.