Tabitha Chawinga: Photo Credit: Tabitha Chawinga.
Malawian Tabitha Chawinga is bracing for ‘an interesting game’ when her French women’s league side Lyon take on Bayern Munich in a UEFA Women’s Champions League game on Sunday.
The 28-year-old spoke to Pan-Africa Football to share insights on the sort of opposition the Germans could pose to the French champions in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals.
“We accept the challenge of meeting them. I played against them in the same competition last year while at PSG last season. They are a good team which we cannot afford to underrate. I do not look at them as a small team. Bayern Munich are one of the biggest teams in Europe,” she said.
Chawinga hopes to feature in the playing squad after being left out of the squad that thrashed Stade de Reims 8-1 on Friday in a domestic league match, a dress rehearsal for the Champions League clash.
The Lyon forward is Malawi’s best women’s football export ever and was nominated for the 2024 CAF and FIFA Women's Player of the Year award.
The Scorchers captain has performed consistently since she set foot in Europe winning Golden Boot and Player of the Year Awards in Sweden, Italy, France and China. She currently has six goals and four assists in 11 games for Lyon in the Division 1 Feminine.
With over 200 Goals, Chawinga leads the scoring chart of active African's women goal scorers, followed by Nigeria's talisman, Asitat Oshaola.
Chawinga Career Stats:
French Women's League Top Scorer: 2024
Serie A women's League Top scorer: 2022
Chinese Women's Super League Top scorer: 2021
Chinese Women's Super League Top scorer: 2018
Chinese Women's Super League Top scorer: 2019
Sweden’s Damallsvenskan top scorer: 2017
Sweden’s Elitettan top scorer: 2015
France’s Trophées FFF D1 Féminine Best Player: 2023–24
France’s UNFP Best Player of the Season: 2023–24
Trophées FFF D1 Féminine Team of the Season: 2023–24
Serie A Female Footballer of the Year: 2022–23
Serie A Women's Team of the Year: 2022–23
Chinese Women's Super League Player of the Year: 2018
Chinese Women's Super League Player of the Year: 2019
Sweden Forward of the Year: 2017
IFFHS CAF Women's Team of the Decade 2011–2020
IFFHS All-time Africa Women's Dream Team: 2021
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