Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabo Cele says it would be a dream to break into the Bafana Bafana squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of the year.
Cele, 28, has emerged as one of the leading performers at Chiefs, having joined in January, within a season that has largely been forgetable thus far as they sit in eighth place in the league with 29 points.
Amakhosi hold half the amount of points of league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, whom they also face in the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup this month and while Cele has been one of their shining lights, he’s not been considered for the national team.
Having played in Portugal, Poland and Russia since leaving the KZN Academy nine years ago, he’s now looking to help Amakhosi get back to winning ways and feels his call-up will come naturally, should they achieve that as a team.
“What I’ve been doing is trying to help the team, and with the team performing and winning games, it’s going to be a natural, eventual thing to get a chance with the national team,” Cele who represented the U23 and Cosafa Cup squads in the past said at the Village today.
“It’s something that… it’s my dream, so I’m just trying to shine where I am and help the team, and win games man, that’s the most important thing for us.”
The former Benfica B midfielder says he’s been open at expressing his love and admiration for the Soweto giants as it’s a club that he holds dear to his heart since his formative years and it’s not something he needs to hide.
“I love the club, like any other fan who loves the club, but I feel like there’s a connection, even when I was growing up with my friends,” Cele explained.
‘One of them had a Chiefs jersey and we’d be jealous of him, we couldn’t buy it. It’s a club I always loved and even overseas you see these players who play for Benfica or Porto, they don’t hide that they love the club. It’s just natural for me to express, the way I’m expressing.”
