Rainford Kalaba

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Rainford Kalaba (born 14 August 1986) is a Zambian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was born in Kitwe, Zambia.

Kalaba began his career with Afrisports Kitwe United and also played for Nice B and ZESCO United before moving to Portugal in 2008 to sign a five-year contract with Braga. He spent time on loan at Gil Vicente and Leiria during his stint in Europe.

In 2011, Kalaba moved to TP Mazembe in Africa, where he stayed until 2023.

International career:
Kalaba played for the Zambia national team from 2005 to 2018, earning 103 caps and scoring 15 goals. In 2013, a dispute between TP Mazembe and the Zambian Football Association over international call-ups led to an arrest warrant and his passport being confiscated, though he was later pardoned.

He reached 100 international appearances in June 2017 against Mozambique but was substituted late in the game and faced disciplinary notes from the national team manager. He was not selected for the 2018 World Cup qualifying matches against Algeria and Nigeria.