Luanda – The Angolan athlete, Mbala Nzola, who plays for Fiorentina in Italy's Serie-A, is valued on the international market at €10 million, being the 5th MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
According to a survey carried out by a specialized African magazine, the list also includes another Angolan, Zito Luvumbo, coincidentally also progressing in the Italian championship, with Cagliari.
In a list of 10 members, Luvumbo is 9th with the pass currently valued at €5 million.
Mozambican Reinido Mandava leads the list, whose pass is worth €20 million, followed by Zambian Patson Daka, €18 million and in 3rd Lyle Foster, from South Africa, €13 million.
The 4th place is occupied by Marshall Munetsi, from Zimbabwe, €10 million, followed by Mbala Zola.
Jordan Zemura, also from Zimbabwe, is in 6th place, €6 million, Fashion Sakala, from Zambia, is 7th with €5.5 million, followed by South African Bongokuhle Hlongwane €5 million.
Completing the list are Zito Luvumbo and Marvelous Nakamba, from Zimbabwe €4 million.
After several absences from the National Team, Mbala Nzola could be the surprise in Pedro Gonçalves' squad, to be announced on Tuesday (7), via Zoom, for the clashes with Cabo Verde (1st round on the 16th) and Mauritius (2nd round on the 20th), in Group D of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The striker is one of the top scorers in Italian Serie A, with 12 goals in 23 matches played so far.
At 26 years old, the striker is enjoying the best season of his career in terms of numbers, but to get there, he went through different levels, teams and countries.
The adventure had several chapters until it became one of the sensations of the season of one of the best championships in the world, especially for a team that is fighting to stay in the Italian first division.
MBala Nzola made his debut for the National Team in 2021, through coach Pedro Gonçalves, and after some time away, it is thought that he will now return in the race for the World Championship, in which Angola wants to be present for the second time, after the World Cup in Germany in 2006.
Zito Luvumbo, 23 years old, graduated from the 1.º de Agosto academy, from Angola, attracted the attention of the international football at the Under-17 World Championship, held in 2019, in Brazil, by helping the country reach the round of 16 of the competition.
Since then, it has been referred to by national and international critics as an almost ready promise, with interests from Flamengo (Brazil), Lille and Monaco (France), Leipzig (Germany), Boavista, Sporting and Vitória de Guimarães (Portugal), Manchester City and West Ham (England).
The preference fell, however, on Cagliari, at the time competing in Serie B in Italy, where he became a key player in this season's climb to the upper division (Serie-A).
Due to his potential, the winger extended his sponsorship contract with the North American giant “Nike” for another five years until 2028, leaving more than 250 players around the world aside.
The athlete signed his contract with Nike at the age of 16, when he was still playing for 1.º de Agosto, becoming the first player in the history of Angolan football to sign a contract with the “giant” North American brand, playing in the “Girabola”, Angola's first division championship.
In Cagliari, in 9 games, he scored 4 goals in 734 minutes played.
MC/CF/jmc
