Cosafa Men’s Under-20 Championship revisited in numbers

Fungai Muderere,  Zimpapers Sports Hub

AS the finest young footballers in Southern Africa prepare to descend on Windhoek, Namibia, for the 2025 Cosafa Men’s Under-20 Championship, we take a look back at the tournament’s colourful history through numbers.

This year’s edition, set to run from 4 to 13 July will be part of the Region 5 Games, adding an extra layer of prestige to a competition that has served as a springboard for stars since its inception. With a legacy stretching back 42 years, here is the Cosafa Under-20 Championship, by the numbers:

0 – The only final to finish goalless was in 2001, when Zambia edged Angola 5-3 on penalties. The only other final to go to a shoot-out was in 2018, when South Africa beat Zimbabwe 4-3 after a 1-1 draw.

1 – This will be the first time ever that Namibia hosts the prestigious competition.

2 – The highest finish for a guest nation came in 2013, when Kenya finished runners up after losing 2-0 to South Africa. There are no guest teams this year as the event is integrated into the Region 5 Games.

3 – Angola lost three finals in a row between 2000 and 2002 and again in 2011. They are still chasing their first title.

3 – South Africa became the third Cosafa nation to win the Caf U-20 Africa Cup of Nations when they triumphed in Egypt in 2025, following Angola (2001) and Zambia (2017).

4 – South Africa’s Lee Jody Ah Shene finished top scorer at the last Cosafa U-20 Championship in Mozambique and later played a pivotal role in their 2025 continental triumph.

4 – Zambia holds the record for most consecutive Cosafa U-20 titles, winning four straight between 1993 and 1999.

5 – Zambia has won five of the last 10 Cosafa U-20 tournaments. South Africa broke their streak in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2024 while Mozambique did so in 2020.

5 – Only five nations have lifted the Cosafa U-20 title: Zambia (12 times), South Africa (9), Zimbabwe (6), Madagascar (1) and Mozambique (1).

7 – The biggest winning margins, seven goals, have all occurred since 2020. South Africa beat Lesotho 7-0 (2020), Eswatini hammered Mauritius 7-0 (2022) and Angola routed Seychelles 8-1 (2022). That nine goal thriller remains the highest scoring match in tournament history.

9 – Angola’s Ambrosini Salvador was the top scorer in 2019 with six goals and he shared the top scorer award again in 2020 with three more.

9 – The most goals scored in a single final came in 2004, when South Africa edged Zambia 5-4.

12 – Zambia are the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with 12 titles.

8 – The number of teams set to compete in 2025: Namibia (hosts), Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

55 – The total number of goals scored at the 2024 edition, with an impressive average of 3,06 per game across 18 matches.

1983 – The year the first regional junior competition was staged. It was won by Zambia.

2000 – The first time a team outside of Zambia or Zimbabwe won the tournament. South Africa claimed the title that year.

2005 – Madagascar became the fourth nation to win the Cosafa U-20 Championship after Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. — @FungaiMuderere