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Celebrating the life of the coach who rebuilt Zambia's national football team after a heartbreaking tragedy.
Death has again touched the football world as former Zambia national team coach Roald Poulsen has passed away at the age of 73.
Poulsen, who will forever be remembered for his immense contribution to African football, particularly in the aftermath of one of the sport's darkest moments, died leaving behind a legacy of resilience, strength and hope.
Poulsen played a pivotal role in the rebuilding of Zambia’s national football team, the Chipolopolo, following the tragic plane crash of 28 April 1993 that claimed the lives of 18 Zambian players, along with coaches, officials and crew members.
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The team had been en route to a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Senegal when disaster struck, plunging a nation into mourning.
"Mr. Poulsen holds a special place in the hearts of many Zambians for the role he played in the rebuilding of the team," said Sydney Mungala, a spokesperson for the Football Association of Zambia, in a heartfelt tribute.
"The post-Gabon disaster era cannot be honoured or remembered without his name coming at the top."
Poulsen, a Danish football tactician who had previously coached Odense BK to the Danish championship in 1989 and a domestic cup victory in 1991, was approached just weeks after the tragedy.
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Despite the daunting task ahead, he accepted the responsibility of bringing together a team that had been devastated by loss and grief.
He had been asked to assist in Denmark for six weeks as the new Zambian squad regrouped.
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However, the challenge soon proved to be far greater than anticipated.
"I could see this was going to be a big job," Poulsen had remarked in a 2023 interview with BBC Sport Africa, marking the 30th anniversary of the plane crash.
"I felt the ability of the players was not really there, that they didn't have any confidence. All quite understandable given they were in a foreign country with strange food and accommodation, far away from families."
Despite the emotional and physical hurdles, Poulsen believed in the power of football to unite and heal.
"The main thing is that the common language of football is so strong," he reflected, and this belief carried the team through one of their toughest periods.
In a defining moment of his career, Poulsen led Zambia to a 2-1 victory against Morocco on 4 July 1993, just 67 days after the tragic crash.
With captain Kalusha Bwalya, who had avoided the crash due to separate travel arrangements, on the field, Zambia’s triumph that day was a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
"The whole nation accepted our work," Poulsen said.
"It took hours for us to leave the stadium as people ran alongside the bus, singing. After less than six weeks, a new national team was born."
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Though Zambia did not qualify for the 1994 World Cup Poulsen's efforts were far from forgotten.
He returned for two additional spells with the national team, guiding them to a third-place finish in the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, a feat that further cemented his place in the hearts of Zambians.
Mungala summed up the impact of Poulsen’s work, stating, "The nation will forever remember his name, not just for his coaching prowess, but for the compassion, resilience, and leadership he showed during one of Zambia’s darkest periods."
Poulsen’s contributions extended beyond Zambia as he also held coaching roles in South Africa, including a stint as technical director of Cape United.
But it is in Zambia where he helped a shattered nation rebuild and hope again that his legacy will be most deeply felt.
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