Kaizer Chiefs players in World Cup squad signals progress, says Kaze

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze believes having four players in the Bafana Bafana World Cup preliminary squad is a vindication that they have done a great job.

Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef steadied the Chiefs ship well when they were elevated from Nasreddine Nabi’s assistants to the main men until the end of the season as they guided Amakhosi to third place in the PSL, their best finish in six years.

The Glamour Boys have also had players who have been impressive such as the outstanding goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, defenders Brandley Cross and Thabiso Monyane as well as midfielder Lebohang Maboe, all four named in the World Cup preliminary squad. Mduduzi Shabalala would perhaps have also got the nod had he not suffered an injury early this month.

Kaze comments on World Cup inclusion

Even though it is a preliminary squad, the fact that Chiefs players made the cut is still a great endorsement of Kaze and Ben Youssef’s job.

“Maboe, Petersen, Cross and [Monyane]. That shows us all the progress that has been made this season,” said Kaze as quoted by iDiski Times.

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze recognised his players, Lebohang Maboe, Bradley Cross, Thabiso Monyane & Brandon Petersen that have been named in Hugo Broos’ 32-man Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kaze states that it’s a good sign of progress for the Glamour… pic.twitter.com/xb8s4L4WSc

— Soccer Laduma (@Soccer_Laduma) May 25, 2026

“Sometimes people think that the best coaches are the coaches that complain about everything, about players not having enough resources.

“Sometimes you use what you get, and you make it better. The four players that have been in the preliminary squad are the sign of the progress that has been made collectively and individually.

Kaizer Chiefs players hope to make final squad

“I hope that they make all of them the way to the World Cup,” the Chiefs coach further stated.

Chiefs players have consistently been overlooked by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos who pointed to their previous struggles as the reason for snubbing them.

However, with a massive improvement in the just-concluded season, it was hard to overlook them this time and there is hope that all of them will make the final squad when Broos unveils it on Wednesday, May 27.