Samba is Nepal’s all-time leading goal scorer and captain of the national women’s football team. She has represented Nepal in European leagues and Australia’s A-League, delivering countless match-winning performances.
Image Source: Instagram
Nepali football fans are used to celebrating victories by Sabitra Bhandari, lovingly called Samba. She’s the striker who has scored the most goals for Nepal, the player who’s dragged the team to wins when it seemed impossible, and the face of Nepali women’s football on European and Australian pitches.
But today, Samba finds herself fighting a different kind of battle off the field. On Monday, in an emotional Facebook post, she publicly appealed for financial support for her ACL surgery exposing the stark reality of how even top players struggle when it comes to medical care in Nepali football.
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“I never imagined I would be in this situation,” Samba wrote. “After even ANFA, who I considered my guardian, stepped back, it is now your supporters who are by my side.”
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The story began on January 3, during Wellington Phoenix’s Round 11 match against Brisbane Roar. Samba collided with Brisbane’s goalkeeper, Chloe Lincoln, and ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in her right knee.
This is the second time Samba has injured the same knee. Her first ACL injury happened during a match against Nepal Police Club in the National Women’s League 2078. She had gone to Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar for surgery in 2021 and returned in February 2022, ready to conquer the field again.
Now, the re-injury has left her sidelined for at least nine to twelve months. The Facebook post detailed the severity: “There has been a serious injury to both the ACL graft that was inserted during my previous surgery and the MCL in my knee. Because of this, I now have to undergo another complex surgery.”
What makes this situation worse is the lack of timely support from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). Samba revealed that a surgery date had been set through her club’s initiative three weeks after the injury, after ANFA promised support. But nothing materialised.
“This time, even the support promised by the ANFA leadership was not received,” she wrote. “Despite my repeated attempts, it was difficult to contact them.”
ANFA eventually told her they could only provide NPR 500,000, far short of the $80,000 (NPR 11,609,680) estimated for the surgery and seven to eight months of rehabilitation. For a player who has given everything to the national team, this was a bitter pill to swallow.
Wellington Phoenix, her club in Australia, has offered to arrange local treatment in New Zealand, but Samba insists she needs the same world-class care at Aspetar in Qatar that saved her career the first time.
With no help from ANFA or the Nepali government, Samba turned to her fans, posting: “The amount required for this treatment is something I have not earned financially until today. That is why I am here today asking for your help.”
Let’s not forget why Samba deserves this support. She has scored decisive goals countless times, including a historic performance last year where she drew a near-loss into a victory against India on home soil.
She has played across European leagues and Australia’s Ninja A-League, representing Nepali football with pride and skill. Yet when she needed care, the Himalayan nation and its football authorities fell short.
Samba’s predicament isn’t just about one player. It reflects longstanding issues within ANFA.
Despite massive budgets from FIFA for player development, ANFA has repeatedly failed to prioritise the welfare of its athletes.
The ‘A’ Division League, Nepal’s top domestic competition, has not been held for three years, yet administrative salaries and benefits continue to be disbursed without delay.
Leadership changes, election-related spending, personal perks often take precedence over player health and career support.
Samba herself expressed frustration: “Hearing arguments within ANFA that I was injured while playing for my club has disappointed me.”
Behind the statistics and the goals lies a very human story. Samba is facing physical pain, uncertainty, and financial stress. She has spent seven weeks off the field, unable to proceed with surgery. The mental toll is immense: “For me, this has become the most difficult battle of my career,” she wrote.
Her message is also a reflection for all young athletes in Nepal: “If I, the captain of the national team who has reached and played in Europe, have to face this situation, then think what the condition of others might be.”
This raises uncomfortable questions about the support system, or lack thereof, for Nepali footballers.
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