Kaizer Chiefs star Mduduzi Shabalala eyes trophies after 100th cap

Playmaker Mduduzi Shabalala, once dubbed ‘The Prince of Naturena’ during his debut season under coach Arthur Zwane in the 2022/23 campaign, harbours ambitions that extend far beyond personal accolades.

The 22-year-old Shabalala dreams of winning “trophies for this beautiful team.”

To mark his incredible milestone of 100 caps, Chiefs rolled out the red carpet for him at Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup showdown against Zambia’s ZESCO United, at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

When Shabalala first set foot at Naturena, the Chiefs’ village, he was a prolific talent and highly sought after. Amakhosi managed to tie him down with a three-year contract.

After playing 100 games in the iconic gold and black jersey, Shabalala has experienced limited championship success, with the club securing only the Nedbank Cup last season in the past decade. Hence, winning trophies is at the top of his wish list.

“I’m happy to be here and proud of what I’ve achieved, but I want to win trophies for this beautiful team,” said Shabalala.

“I think I can still give more to the team and for myself, and I think we obviously have not been doing so well in these last few years, but I’m not going to use that as an excuse.”

Shabalala, promoted from the reserve team in 2022, has used this significant milestone to evaluate his progress and identify areas for further development.

“It’s been a journey of inconsistency,” he said. “I’ve learnt so much in these games, and I’m hoping to learn even more, not just as a player but as a person.

“I’ve grown from being a young boy and learnt to be a man at a young age. I want to inspire more boys my age.”

In his 100 appearances for Chiefs, the recently capped Bafana Bafana international has scored 11 goals and recorded six assists. Yet, he believes there is further potential to raise his performance by a notch for Chiefs.

Shabalala also acknowledged the support from the club’s leadership during the earlier stages of his career, which has been instrumental to his development.

“It’s a great feeling at my age,” he added. “I want to thank the chairman for trusting and believing in me. I want to play as much as I can for this club.”

Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef says Shabalala’s impressive skill set may secure him a spot on Bafana Bafana’s World Cup roster later this year.

“Shabalala stands out as one of the finest players we have. His performance is consistently impressive. What truly sets him apart is his intelligence and professionalism,” Ben Youssef remarked.

“Shabalala is always receptive to advice, showcasing the traits of a dedicated professional. I genuinely hope he maintains this trajectory and earns his place in Bafana Bafana for the World Cup.”