Listing all of the best Kaizer Chiefs players in history would be impossible but we’re going to try and include a few of our recent favourites.
The greatest Kaizer Chiefs players in history
BERNARD PARKER
You cannot argue with Bernard Parker’s goal stats as a Kaizer Chiefs player. After all, it is goals that win games, and Parker did plenty of that for the Glamour Boys. Now with TS Galaxy, the 36-year-old won four major honours with Amakhosi, including two DStv Premiership titles. He falls into the “underrated” bracket for sure.
COLLINS MBESUMA
Speaking of goals, who will ever forget the goal-scoring exploits of Zambian marksman Collins Mbesuma? His antics in the penalty area earned him a move to Portsmouth in 2005. All-in-all, Mbesuma bagged 55 goals in 173 DStv Premiership clashes. 25 goals in the 2004-05 season remains an all-time record that is unlikely to be touched. And it belongs to Mbesuma.
JABU PULE
An entertainer in the true sense of the word, Jabu Pule took our collective breath away with quintessentially South African flair. No list of modern Chiefs greats is complete without mentioning this man. What a player!
ITUMELENG KHUNE
Known for his legendary distribution of the football, Itu Khune is a modern-day great in a goalkeeping context. Seven major honours with Chiefs and 91 caps for Bafana Bafana undoubtedly qualify Knune as a South African great. Although distribution is the trait that has made him famous around the world, don’t forget his amazing reflexes and loyalty. A true one-club man. What’s next for Itu? Whatever it is, his legendary status in the walls of Naturena is cemented.
DOCTOR KHUMALO
“16 Valve” was an African champion with Bafana Bafana in 1996 and he regularly dazzled audiences in a Kaizer Chiefs jersey who’s fondly remembered for his wonderful vision and passing ability. To this day, his tally of 397 starts for Amakhosi is an all-time record. How much more legendary does it get than that?
SHOES MOSHOEU
John “Shoes” Mosheou was the ultimate playmaker, combining silky skills and his ability to dictate play from the heart of midfield. Shoes was an AFCON winner in 1996 and then represented South Africa at France 1998. Are there any modern equivalents of his skill set? What a gifted footballer. Pure silk and skill.
Two stints with Chiefs, alongside a spell with Turkish giants Fenerbache, make Shoes a legit cult figure and artist of football.
SIPHIWE TSHABALALA
An assist machine from the left side of midfield, Shabba was equally capable of tucking into more central areas and holding onto the ball to slow the play down. A seriously underrated footballer in large parts of South Africa, but Chiefs fans knew all about his gifts. When Shabba scored THAT goal against Mexico in 2010, the world knew his name. A seriously smart, tidy and criminally underrated player, this guy.
Who is the greatest Kaizer Chiefs player in history?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. You can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.
