# Patson Daka

Patson Daka (born 9 October 1998) is a Zambian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Leicester City and the Zambia national team.
Daka's career trajectory began within the youth system, where he showcased his abilities playing for local club Kafue Celtic. Subsequently, he was sent on loan to Nchanga Rangers and Power Dynamos, where he was able to further hone his skills. In January 2017, Daka joined Red Bull Salzburg's reserve team Liefering in Austria, and was then made part of the first team in the following summer. He helped Salzburg win four Austrian Bundesliga titles and three Austrian Cups. In summer 2021, Daka joined Leicester City in the Premier League.
Daka made his senior international debut for Zambia in 2015 at the age of 16.

## Club career
### Early career

Daka began his youth career at Kafue Celtic, joining their under-12s, before moving on to the under-14s in 2007, and to the under-17s in 2010.
In summer 2014, Daka was sent on a one-year loan to Nchanga Rangers in the Zambia Super League. He was then loaned out to Power Dynamos in summer 2015. Before that, he did some practice sessions with Lille but finally didn't sign with the French side. At Dynamos, he ended the season as the club's top scorer with 12 goals.
At the end of the 2016 season, he was awarded as the Zambia Super League Young Player of the Year.

### FC Liefering

Daka moved to Austria in January 2016 when he signed with FC Liefering - the second-tier feeder team of Red Bull Salzburg - on a half-season loan from Kafue Celtic. Daka scored twice for the club in nine appearances to help them finish second in the 2.Liga.

### Red Bull Salzburg

Daka signed with Red Bull Salzburg in 2017. He helped the club win the UEFA Youth League, scoring two goals in two games. On 27 November, Daka scored against Genk in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, becoming the first Zambian player to score in the competition's group stage.
On 18 December 2019, Daka extended his contract with Salzburg until the summer of 2024.
On 30 September 2020, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the play-off round to qualify to the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League. On 21 May 2021, Daka was named Austrian Bundesliga player of the season after registering 27 goals in 28 games, as the club won their fourth successive league title.

### Leicester City

On 30 June 2021, Daka signed for Premier League club Leicester City on a five-year contract, for a reported fee of £23 million. Daka made his debut for the club with an appearance off the bench in Leicester's 1–0 triumph over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on 7 August. On 23 August, Daka made his Premier League debut as a substitute for Harvey Barnes in a 4–1 away defeat to West Ham United.
On 16 October, he scored his first goal for Leicester City in a 4–2 win against Manchester United at King Power Stadium. He followed this up on 20 October by scoring all four goals in a 4–3 win over Spartak Moscow in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League, becoming the first Leicester player to score 4 in a game since 1958. On 25 November 2021, Daka became Leicester's all-time leading goalscorer in European competition by scoring in a 3–1 Europa League victory over Legia Warsaw.

## International career

Daka made his senior debut for Zambia in a 2–0 friendly victory over Malawi on 10 May 2015. He was the 2017 CAF Young Player of the Year.

## Personal life

Daka's father, Nathtali Daka, was a former footballer who played as a winger for local club Kafue-based Nitrogen Stars. Daka is married to Zambian sprinter Suwilanji Mpondela. He is a devout Christian.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FC Liefering (loan) | 2016–17 | Austrian First League | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 2 |
| FC Liefering (loan) | 2017–18 | Austrian First League | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 4 |
| FC Liefering (loan) | Total | Total | 27 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 6 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2017–18 | Austrian Bundesliga | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2018–19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 15 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | 26 | 6 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2019–20 | Austrian Bundesliga | 31 | 24 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 1 | — | — | 45 | 27 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2020–21 | Austrian Bundesliga | 28 | 27 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | 42 | 34 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | Total | Total | 82 | 54 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 68 |
| Leicester City | 2021–22 | Premier League | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 11 |
| Leicester City | 2022–23 | Premier League | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 4 |
| Leicester City | 2023–24 | Championship | 20 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 7 |
| Leicester City | 2024–25 | Premier League | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 1 |
| Leicester City | Total | Total | 89 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 114 | 23 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 198 | 77 | 24 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 36 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 265 | 97 |
* ↑ Includes Austrian Cup, FA Cup
* ↑ Includes EFL Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Six appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Six appearances and two goals in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Six appearances and five goals in UEFA Europa League, four appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa Conference League
* ↑ Appearance in FA Community Shield

### International

    As of match played 11 June 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Zambia | 2015 | 5 | 0 |
| Zambia | 2016 | 7 | 0 |
| Zambia | 2017 | 3 | 2 |
| Zambia | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| Zambia | 2019 | 4 | 1 |
| Zambia | 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| Zambia | 2021 | 6 | 5 |
| Zambia | 2022 | 3 | 1 |
| Zambia | 2023 | 8 | 9 |
| Zambia | 2024 | 8 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 48 | 21 |
    Scores and results list Zambia's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Patson Daka :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 5 September 2017 | Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium, Constantine, Algeria | Algeria | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 11 November 2017 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Cameroon | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 19 November 2019 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Zimbabwe | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 4 | 25 March 2021 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Algeria | 1–2 | 3–3 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 5 | 25 March 2021 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Algeria | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 6 | 29 March 2021 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 7 | 29 March 2021 | National Sports Stadium, Harare, Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 8 | 13 November 2021 | National Heroes Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia | Mauritania | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 3 June 2022 | Stade de Yamoussoukro, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast | Ivory Coast | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10 | 26 March 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Lesotho | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 11 | 26 March 2023 | Dobsonville Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa | Lesotho | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 12 | 17 June 2023 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Ivory Coast | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 13 | 9 September 2023 | Stade Omnisports de Malouzini, Moroni, Comoros | Comoros | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 14 | 17 October 2023 | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates | Uganda | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 15 | 17 October 2023 | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Al Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates | Uganda | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 16 | 17 November 2023 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Congo | 1–0 | 4–2 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 17 November 2023 | Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola, Zambia | Congo | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | 21 November 2023 | Stade de Marrakech, Marrakesh, Morocco | Niger | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 19 | 9 January 2024 | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Cameroon | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 21 January 2024 | Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro, Ivory Coast | Tanzania | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2023 Africa Cup of Nations |
| 21 | 26 March 2024 | Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe, Malawi | Malawi | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |

## Honours

Red Bull Salzburg Youth
* UEFA Youth League: 2016–17
Red Bull Salzburg
* Austrian Bundesliga: 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
* Austrian Cup: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
Leicester City
* FA Community Shield: 2021
* EFL Championship: 2023–24
Zambia U20
* Africa U-20 Cup of Nations: 2017
* COSAFA U-20 Cup: 2016
Individual
* Africa U-20 Cup of Nations Best Player: 2017
* Africa U-20 Cup of Nations Best XI: 2017
* CAF Youth Player of the Year: 2017
* Zambia Super League Young Player of the Year: 2014, 2016
* Zambia Sportsman of the Year: 2017
* Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Year: 2020–21
* Austrian Bundesliga Top scorer: 2020–21
* Austrian Bundesliga Team of the Year: 2020–21
* Africa Cup of Nations qualification Top scorer: 2021