• By Michael Uugwanga

WHEN you talk of women football now, there is always one name one cannot leave out and that is the name Nancy Lebang of V -Power Angels Ladies in the FNB Women Super League (WSL). She was crowned the top scorer of the 2025 Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup Girls Championship   that was held in Windhoek, recently. 

Aged 15, Lebang made history for Namibia by becoming the first player to score seven goals in one match, when she scored them against Comoros in that championship. 

These goals were enough for her to finish the championship as a top scorer, but were not enough to send the country through to the semi-finals. For that, Namibia needed to score at least 12 goals to overtake Mozambique for a semi-finals birth, while Mozambique reached the semi-finals because of their superior goal forward of 11.

Lebang is one of the few players to play for the country in all age groups, having represented the country at last year’s Confederation of African Football (CAF) African Schools Football Championship under-15 tournament and the COSAFA Cup under-17 last year in South Africa. 

She also played at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) under-17 qualifiers this year against Uganda and the Brave Gladiators WAFCON qualifiers against Eswatini (two matches), all in less than a year. Lebang is also part of the country’s under-20 girls’ squad that will be playing Uganda in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September this year.

“I was born in Gobabis in the great Omaheke Region.I started playing football at the age of eight and that time I was playing with boys when I was in the hostel at Mphe Thuto Primary School, which is a school in a rural are,” said Lebang.   “Winning the top scorer award means a lot to me, as it was never on my mind before the tournament. The award is a big motivation for me going forward.”

The young soccer player said she joined V-Power Angels when she was in grade seven at the tender age of 13 and the rest history in the making.

“I want to thank my coach Risto Shikomba for having helped me develop into the player I am today,” said Lebang.
Lebang is also included in the 2025 COSAFA Cup Girls Championship final best 11 team. Her focus now is firmly on her club V-Power Angels, who are seemingly one of the most exciting teams to watch in the FNB Women Super League (WSL).

“I maintain my fitness level through combination of strength training, exercises and agility drills as well as nutrition.  I am very proud to be part of the senior (Brave Gladiators) team at my age which means a lot to me and really appreciate it. I am also looking forward to be included in the U-20 team. 

“I am currently a learner at CJ Brandt High School in Windhoek and I am in grade 10. My football idol is Relebohile Mofokeng, the attacking midfielder of Orlando Pirates, because he is hard-working, inspiring and well disciplined,” said Lebang.