By FELIX MALUNGA –

TEN of Zambia’s finest footballers were yesterday honoured with special Golden Jubilee medals on the Copperbelt during a colourful investiture ceremony at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
During the 50 years independence celebrations yesterday, Government honoured Zambia’s 1988 Seoul Olympic Games squad and the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winning team.
Late football legend Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu, who coached the Zambian team at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea, received his medal posthumously.
Ndhlovu, who had led Mufulira Wanderers to unparalleled league and cup triumphs over 20 years and was also Zambia’s 1964 Zambian Sportsman of the Year, guided the then KK 11 to the nation’s only Olympic Games qualification in 1988.
At the Seoul Olympics, Zambia stunned the global football world by thrashing Italy 4-0 with Kalusha Bwalya hitting a hattrick enroute to the quarter-finals where the KK11 were eliminated by Jurgen Klinsmann-inspired Germans.
Zambia’s captain at the 1974 AFCON finals, Dickson Makwaza, who was part of the technical bench at the Seoul Olympics, also picked up his special Golden Jubilee medal from Local Government and Housing Minister, Emmanuel Chenda.
Late defender Estone Mulenga, who was part of the squad that perished off the coast of Gabon in 1993, was also recognised posthumously for being part of the 1988 summer Olympics team.
Ashios Melu, the late centre back, captained the Seoul Olympics squad and his exploits were recognised as he received a special Golden Jubilee medal posthumously.
Late midfielder Wisdom Chansa, who led Power Dynamos in 1991 to become the first Zambian club to win a continental crown, also got his medal for the role he played at the Seoul Olympics.
Other members of the Seoul Olympics squad honoured in Ndola yesterday where the late Pearson Mwanza, Nkana coach Beston Chambeshi and Manfred Chabinga, the Mufulira Wanderers trainer.
Government also honoured striker Collins Mbesuma and midfielder Francis Kasonde for being in the Chipolopolo squad that won Zambia the first-ever AFCON title.
Against all odds, Zambia triumphed over pre-tournament favourites to win the AFCON championship in 2012 in Gabon.