African Footballer of the Year Barbra Banda was made to wait to make her mark on the Women's Africa Cup of Nations -- the top tournament for women's national teams on the continent -- but she has made up for lost time.
The Zambia superstar and Orlando Pride striker is performing at a level that will see her compete for the Ballon d'Or before too long.
First up, the WAFCON, where three Banda goals in three group games have set Zambia up for a quarterfinal showdown with favourites Nigeria, against whom the Copper Queens and their star forward will have to raise the bar again after several years of consistent progress in the women's game.
Banda, who made her debut in 2016, has spearheaded Zambia's recent rise, from qualifying for their first Olympics and first Women's World Cup to winning both CAF and BBC Women's Footballer of the Year awards.
She's already Africa's all-time top scorer at the Olympics, and made headlines in 2021 when she scored back-to-back hat-tricks against the Netherlands and China.
However, the 25-year-old has faced her fair share of setbacks as well, infamously being barred from participating at the 2022 Nations Cup by the Confederation of African Football after failing a 'gender verification test' that deemed her testosterone levels to be above those permitted for women's competition.
Banda missed out, along with Rachel Kundananji, and the She-polopolo fell 1-0 to South Africa in a tight semifinal.
While unwilling to talk directly about the heartbreak of CAF's ruling in 2022, Banda has made no secret of her determination to make up for lost time in Morocco.
"I won't focus on the past," Banda told ESPN on Thursday. "I'm here, in the present, doing my best, focusing on our principles, our values, and taking each game very seriously.
"[Finally] being here this year is very important for me, putting on this badge means a lot, and I want to say thank you for this, everyone dreams of playing for the national team and it's a great chance for me.
"I need to show off why I'm here, and I'm so humble to have this opportunity."
Midfielder Evarine Katongo believes that Banda's absence helped the Copper Queens find new unity and purpose, and acknowledges how powerful it's been to see the forward finally get the opportunity to star at the tournament.
"When Barbra missed the 2022 WAFCON, we were heartbroken," she told ESPN. "She's such an important part of our team not just for her goals, but for her leadership and energy.
"I remember feeling for her deeply because I knew how much she wanted to be there with us, but we also used that moment to come together and fight for her.
"Now, seeing her finally playing at WAFCON, it's emotional, she's shining and she deserves it," Katongo continued. "Her presence lifts all of us, and she's performing with joy, power and purpose. It's a proud moment for all of us."
Since missing out on 2022, Banda's career has gone from strength to strength, to the point where she unseated Asisat Oshoala to be named Africa's finest by CAF in December.
After scoring goals aplenty in Spain and China, she became - at the time - the second most expensive player in the history of women's football when she signed for NWSL side Orlando Pride in March last year, and wasted little time in adapting to life in the States.
A goal and two assists against Washington Spirit in April set the tone, and in her first year in Florida, Banda won the NWSL Championship and Shield double, while also being named the league's MVP.
Broader recognition followed, with inclusion in the FIFPRO Women's World XI, and Zambia head coach Nora Hauptle has no hesitation in tipping Banda to one day become the first African player to win the Ballon d'Or.
"I never in one moment saw Barbra releasing her attitude, she is always a role model, everyday the professional, and she's on the road, one day, to winning the Ballon d'Or," Hauptle began.
"She's a top athlete and a top human. I've told the team that she's a role model, for video analysis sessions, she's always on the front row, at training sessions, she's first [to arrive], and every day on the pitch she has a top attitude.
"Even when she's fatigued, she's never complained, always leading as captain. She's an outstanding athlete and, as a human, an honour to work with."
Hauptle, who joined Zambia earlier this year having previously observed the Copper Queens from afar as Ghana head coach, appears to be getting the best out of the striker, who has three goals in three games so far this season, with the pair appearing to have struck up a strong relationship in these early months of collaboration.
"I was curious, when I came to Zambia," Hauptle continued, "I didn't know how she was, and I had to get a feel for her, but [it's clear] she's one of the top athletes in the world.
"We have a good relationship, Barbra is a human, and me too, so beside the working relationship, it's important for me that we have good exchanges, high respect for each other, and we both have this hunger in us.
"Barbra's big dream is to hunt for the title, and me too. We're all here with the same objective, to hunt for the title, and it brings us all much closer together."
Katongo also acknowledges how Banda's tribulations, as well as her shift in celebrity after moving to the States, has influenced her role as a one of the team's talismans in the national set-up.
"She has matured a lot, both as a footballer and as a leader," Katongo revealed. "She's always had the talent, but now you see more calmness in her decisions and more responsibility in how she carries herself.
"She's been exposed to high levels of football in China, Spain and USA and that experience has really sharpened her game," she added. "Her movement, her understanding and her finishing is at another level.
"Off the pitch too, she motivates us and keeps the team grounded. She's not just our captain, she's a role model for many young girls in Zambia."
Having dethroned Oshoala as Africa's top player, Banda now has the opportunity to dump the six-time Women's Footballer of the Year out of the Nations Cup when Zambia and Nigeria collide on Friday.
"Meeting big stars like Asisat is motivation, it just keeps me moving up and doing more, doing better," Banda noted, clearly unfazed by the prospect of a knockout game against Africa's most successful side.
"She's a good player, she was there before me, and I give her a lot of respect, but tomorrow's game is open to everybody."
Ali Krieger and Jeff Kassouf condemn the alleged fan abuse directed toward Orlando's Barbra Banda.
For Nigeria, who are yet to concede in the tournament, the prospect of having to neutralise both Banda and her strike partner Racheal Kundananji - known collectively as 'Bandananji' - represents a far greater challenge than they've encountered to date in the tournament.
For Falcons defender Ashleigh Plumptre, there's little but admiration for the player, both for her on-field qualities, and the very public controversy around CAF's decision to ban Banda in 2022.
"I don't know Barbra personally, but I do remember when all the stories came out and she had a lot of backlash, even when she won BBC's award," Plumptre told ESPN. "I don't know her personally, but as a human being, I have a lot of respect for her, because anyone going through that is really tough.
"She has silenced everyone," she continued. "She performs, continues to perform with a smile on her face, and the whole country as well as the world of women's football got behind her.
"I have so much respect for her," she concluded. "I'm lucky I've got to play against really good players in my career, not had to play against her yet, but I look forward to coming up against her and having that test."
For Banda, as ever, it's much easier to let the world talk about her problems, and let her focus on doing what she does best...
"The Copper Queens aren't scared [of Nigeria]," she ended. "We respect them, and we're going to do our talking on the pitch. I'm looking forward to scoring goals against Nigeria on Friday."