the 1973 season, and led the scoring charts as well in 1974. In 1975, he played in a deeper midfield role and recorded his worst tally of goals, scoring less than 10 league goals and Kabwe Warriors ended the season second bottom with 6 wins, 7 draws and 13 defeats and were relegated from the top league. They were however saved when the FAZ decided to increase the number of teams in the Zambian Premier League from 14 to 16. Chitalu was runner-up to Bernard Chanda in the 1976 scoring duel, finishing with 31 goals which was seven less than "the Bomber's". He lost out to surprise winner Vincent Chileshe for the 1977 Footballer of the Year award but was named the country's Sportsman of the Year. He became the first man to win the Zambian Footballer of the Year award in consecutive seasons in 1978 and 1979. In July 1981, Chitalu broke his arm when Warriors beat City of Lusaka 2–1 in a league game in Lusaka when he jumped over a defender's tackle and landed badly. The injury kept him out for the rest of the season. He made a comeback the following year after which he retired from the game at the end of the season. Goal record challenge After Lionel Messi was recorded to have beaten Gerd Müller's record of 85 goals in a year, the Football Association of Zambia claimed that the world record actually pertained to Godfrey Chitalu who had scored 116 goals (possibly 117) during the 1972 calendar year and 107 during the 1972 season. The difference of goals is due to first 9 goals being scored before the season officially started. The Football Association of Zambia presented the evidence to FIFA but a spokesperson responded that they would ratify neither Lionel Messi's nor Chitalu's records as they do not keep statistical track of domestic competitions. Nonetheless, it could constitute the highest official tally claimed by a national football association. International career Chitalu made his international debut on 29 June 1968 in a friendly match against Uganda in Lusaka which Zambia won 2–1. He scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against the same team five days later. Chitalu played a prominent role during the World Cup qualification matches against Sudan with Zambia being eliminated on a strange rule which was peculiar to Africa and favoured the team that won the second