Among the most renowned former Bafana Bafana players are legendary Kaizer Chiefs players. The Soweto Derby, one of the hardest derbies in southern Africa, saw some of its most memorable moments. They were traded to different clubs all over the world, thus their professional careers did not finish in Soweto.
Some of the most well-known football figures from South Africa are on the Kaizer Chiefs legends list. Our list, which was assembled from several sources, has players who have excelled not only for the South African team but also in other top competitions.
The club has been the most successful side in South African football history and the most well-liked team in Sub-Saharan Africa since the top flight was established in 1970. All of this achievement was made possible by a lot of exceptional players who gave their entire lives to the team.
10. Ace Ntsoelengoe
The club legend who gave joy and delight to Chiefs supporters across the nation is Patrick “Ace” Ntsoelengoe. He was also among the club’s jersey wearers with the most recognizable faces in the 1970s and 1980s.
The late former center forward was compared to the generational Ronaldinho when he was named the Chiefs’ greatest player in 2010. This was a result of his technical proficiency, fluid footwork, and enjoyment of the game. At the age of 54, he passed away in 2006. [1]
9. Kaizer Motawoong
Former South African association football player Kaizer Motaung OIS currently serves as chairman and managing director of Kaizer Chiefs FC. In the club’s early years, his constant goal scoring helped create the club’s dynasty. He was a devastating menace in the final third. His nickname was “Chincha Guluva.”
8. John Moshoeu
Lesiba John “Shoes” Moshoeu was once the distinguished possession of Kaizer Chiefs. Despite his technical prowess and speed, Moshoeu was able to consistently play simple football throughout his career. It’s said that simple play is the most difficult thing to do in football. On and off the field, “Shoes” was incredibly clever and responsible.
The renowned former Bafana Bafana coach Clive Barker is said to have yelled, “Shoes! Dancing!” from the sidelines.
Dance a little bit more. Moshoeu’s amazing footwork and dancer-like speed in outrunning opponents were also things Barker was well aware of. After all, dancing shoes are where the name shoes originated. On April 21, 2015, the former celebrity passed away in Johannesburg from stomach cancer.
7. Teenage Dladla
The iconic nickname “Teenage” was given to the former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder because of his youthful, cheeky, mischievous smile and starry twinkle in his eye. Defenders must have been fooled into a false sense of security by his charming, almost beguiling demeanor and thin body before they realized too late that it disguised a vicious, clinical footballing technique that ripped opponents apart. One of the first names that springs to mind when thinking of the greatest players to ever don the team’s uniform is Nelson “Teenage” Dladla. [2]
6. Doctor Khumalo
Khumalo set a franchise record with 397 starts for the Chiefs. He was really good with the ball and had great passing skills. He often evaded defenders with a change of pace and shrewd movement before putting the ball in the back of the net.
The most prominent role he played with Kaizer Chiefs and the South African national team was as a great midfielder. One of South Africa’s top midfielders of his generation is largely considered as Khumalo.
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5. Itumeleng Khune
He is a one-club man who has served as a representative face of some of the team’s most recent triumphs. Since making his name with Chiefs, Khune is frequently recognized as one of Africa’s best goalkeepers.
The Telkom Knockout final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs on December 1, 2007, saw the Kaizer Chiefs captain become famous for saving three penalties from Esrom Nyandoro and Peter Ndlovu. His René Higuita scorpion kick save against the Mpumalanga Black Aces on October 28, 2015, which went viral in England, is another notable accomplishment.
Khune is renowned for his lightning-fast reflexes and distribution, which Sander Westerveld, a former Liverpool goalkeeper, called “the greatest you will see anywhere.” In FIFA 22, he is one of the legendary Kaizer Chiefs players.
4. Neil Tovey
According to Neil Tovey, South Africa became a “ecstatic and joyous place” full of limitless possibilities in 1994 with the dawn of freedom and democracy. He is a legendary member of the Kaizer Chiefs and holds the record for most appearances in the National Soccer League (NSL).
He played for Durban City 174 times, AmaZulu 117 times, and Kaizer Chiefs 341 times on his way to leading all NSL players in appearances. In 1996, Tovey guided South Africa to an AFCON triumph.
3. Lucas Radebe
The storied defender for the Kaizer Chiefs was a part of the team’s most prosperous era in the early 1990s. Radebe briefly played goalkeeper in his early career and save two penalties, but his preferred position had always been center-back. One of the most celebrated African football legends to have played in the Premier League is also thought to be Radebe. He was a hero for Leeds United, helping them go to the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 2000–2001. [3]
2. Ryder Mofokeng
He was a part of the Chiefs team that won the club’s first league championship in 1974, a year in which the team lost just three times in 30 games while scoring 106 goals and allowing only 27 goals to be surrendered. He led the 1984 Chiefs squad that won the League Title, Mainstay Cup, JPS Knockout, and Sales House of Champions Cup while playing as the recently departed Joe Frickleton.
He joined the rankings of the greatest players ever thanks to his impact on the legacy of the Kaizer Chiefs. He took part in more than 300 official team contests. He only managed one goal, though, in a 1979 Cup game at Kwa-Mashu against Blackpool.
1. Ace Khuse
One of the greatest Kaizer Chiefs legends of all time is regarded as being Khuse. In the 1980s and 1990s, he enthralled football fans under the nick name Didi. He received the illustrious number 12 from the late Ace Ntsoelengoe, and he inspired the Chiefs to an almost-perfect 1989 campaign.
Donald also gave performances at home and abroad, hypnotizing audiences with his impeccable abilities. His other clubs include Sundowns, Ganclebirligi, and Antalayspor. One of the Phefeni Glamour Boys’ top midfielders is Donald Ace Khuse.
