Kinnah says his scoring record will stand for years

Flames legend Kinnah ‘Eleletric’ Phiri says it is gratifying that he still maintains his record as Africa’s second  highest scorer at international level 39 years after he retired.

The former Malawi National Football Team prolific forward has 71 goals, eight short of the continent’s all-time top scorer at national team level,  Zambian legend Godfrey ‘Ucar’ Chitalu, who had 108 caps for Chipolopolo.

A video compiled by Goal on Africa’s top 10 highest scorers went viral on social media this week.

In an interview on Thursday, the Flames’ all-time leading scorer, said: “It felt good to note that I am still the second leading scorer many years after hanging up my boots.

“It is good that Goal decided to compile that documentary because I very much doubt if the majority of the current generation knew about it. It is also good for the country.

“Apart from  Mohammad Salah [of Egypt], the others are no longer active, so I am confident that I will maintain the record for many more years to come.”

The ex-FCB Nyasa Bullets hitman said he hopes the record will inspire current strikers to aim high and score more goals.

On why he thinks he, alongside the late Chitalu, have maintained their records for a long time, Kinnah said:  “I think the more games we played, the more goals we scored.

“It is not that the big-name strikers to have emerged from the continent are not good. The likes of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Hossam  Hassan were world-class strikers, but perhaps the style was different

“It could be that we had all the absolute essentials of a striker, we were goal-hungry all the time.”

Former Flames midfield maestro, Ernest Mtawali, the only Malawian to have played in one of the five top European leagues, having turned out for French Ligue 1 side Toulouse, said the record is testimony that Kinnah was one of the best strikers on the continent.

“The record speaks volumes of his legendary status because stars such as Eto’o earned more caps than him, but are behind in terms goals scored. He is a legend who we should feel proud of as a country.”

Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamilandu said: “It’s incredible that he has maintained the feat ever since. It just shows how remarkable he was.

“This underscores that he was a prolific striker. He deserves much respect for what he achieved.”

Egypt’s Hossam Hassan is third with 68 goals from 169 appearances while Drogba is fourth with 65 goals from 105 appearances. Next is Eto’o  with 56 goals from 118 appearances.

 Salah is sixth with 51 goals from 88 matches while Ghanaian Asamoah Gyan is seventh with 51 goals from 109 appearances.

Ivorian Abdoulaye Traore is eighth on the list with 49 goals in 88 appearances  followed by Ghanaian Edward Acqua with 45 goals while Zambian Alex Chola is 10th with 43 goals.