Racheal Kundananji admitted to feeling “intense pressure” after becoming the world’s most expensive footballer with her transfer to Bay FC.
Bay FC signed Kundananji for a world-record fee
WHAT HAPPENED?
With a transfer fee of $788,000 (£620,000), her move from Madrid CFF to Bay FC has placed her in the spotlight. However, the exorbitant fee comes with the weight of expectations. Despite the pressure, she remains focused on her craft, understanding that this milestone is just the beginning of her journey.
WHAT KUNDANANJI SAID
In an interview with The Guardian, Kundananji said: “There is so much pressure on me [as a result of the world-record transfer fee] but I just have to calm down, focus on my work and continue playing football. This is not the end. It’s just the beginning. The expectations of the fans will be so high and opponents are not going to be so friendly to me. That’s why there is so much pressure now.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Kundananji’s remarkable rise in the football world began in 2018 when she caught the eye of Indeni Roses, based in Ndola, after showcasing her talent with Konkola Blades in Chililabombwe. Her ambition led her to sign with BIIK Kazygurt in Kazakhstan in 2019, driven by the desire to compete in the prestigious UEFA Women’s Champions League.
“Being from Africa, you see an opportunity [to move out of the continent],” she said. “It might not make sense when you begin the journey but you have to start from somewhere. I saw that they were in the Champions League, which was my dream to play in, so when I saw the opportunity I had to grab it.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Kundananji revealed that she moved to Eibar in Spain despite being offered five times the salary by Kazygurt.
“I had to give up everything and go there. If I tell you that my club in Kazakhstan offered me four times the salary I was earning to stay you will not believe it… They increased it to five times and I still said no because I wanted to play in Spain, to compete with the best, to play in a league where I will have a challenge to score.”
In the summer of 2022, she took the next big step in her career and signed for Madrid CFF. Kundananji’s stellar performance with Madrid, where she scored 25 goals in 23 games during the 2022 season, laid the groundwork for her groundbreaking transfer to Bay FC.
“I managed to score those goals because of the players I was surrounded by, as well as the coaches and the supporters. They made things easy for me. The team was a family. Things were very good there,” she said.
Despite the pressure associated with her new status, Kundananji remains undaunted as she has set her sights on making a significant impact in the United States.
“I am not putting myself under any pressure. I am going to the United States like this is not my first time… Our generation is the chosen generation, just expect more records to be broken. This is the generation that will show that there is great talent in Africa.”
She will be in action against Angel City in the campaign opener on March 17 in the NWSL.
Goal.com
