Half a dozen players from the Orlando Pride are heading to Paris to represent their national teams in the 2024 Summer Olympics which kick off at the end of this month. That includes four representing Brazil and two playing for Zambia.
“It's so interesting looking at quite a number of players here at Orlando [who] are playing for the Olympics with their national teams,” said Pride forward Barbra Banda, who is representing her home country of Zambia. “I think I'm very proud of this team because it has good players, and for them to be recognized by their national team, that means they are doing well.”
Brazil has placed Pride forwards Marta and Adriana on its roster along with midfielders Rafaelle and Angelina. Along with Banda, midfielder Grace Chanda will represent Zambia in Olympic play.
For some, it will be a return to the Olympic games. Brazil’s Angelina was placed as one of four alternates at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Rafaelle played for Brazil in 2016, but was injured for the 2020 games. An injury sidelined Adriana, who was selected for the 2020 games.
For Brazil’s Marta, this is her sixth appearance in the Olympic games, and she said it will be her last.
“It is something that I decided to do because I'm 38. I'm not going to play forever,” said Marta, who leads the Pride in goals since joining in 2017. “I think if I'm looking forward to play, maybe one or two more years with the [Pride], it'll help me do this a little bit more easy.”
Barbra Banda joined the Pride earlier this season. For Zambia, she is making her second appearance in the Olympics. In 2020, she scored back to back hat tricks, making her the first player in Olympic history to do that.
It will be her Zambian teammate Chanda’s first time heading to the Olympics after becoming the Pride’s newest player.
“We have to go and fight, to go and show up, to go and show ourselves how we are good,” said Chanda.
The Orlando Pride will host watch parties in Orlando for the Brazil and Zambia games on July 25.
