Sipho Chaine says that his career rise is from a higher power as he was always ‘second best’ from youth level towards the professional ranks.
Chaine has enjoyed a scarcely believable rise to stardom in the Premier Soccer League, from being a second choice as reserve team goalkeeper, to Bloemfontein Celtic, Royal AM and Chippa United, where he was also a back-up option.
When Orlando Pirates signed him two seasons ago in the January window, it appeared another spell at watching others from the sidelines, as they signed a player with 33 professional games in six seasons at his three previous clubs.
But he earned the faith of the Pirates technical team and has not looked back. Now going into 2025, the 28-year-old stopper has broken into the senior national team and clearly one of the most popular and reliable players in his position.
Chaine was voted in the Carling All-Stars by the fans and as the captain of this side that beat Magesi 3-0 on Saturday, to retain the Carling Cup.
“For myself, I’ve always had a different perspective on how I see [my career], for me, from 2013, throughout my goalkeeping career, I have always been second best, honestly speaking,” he said.
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“I don’t know how God has manoeuvred this journey, but I’ve always trusted in him, looking back to 2013 [when I was in school], then breaking into the Diski Challenge when it started, I was always second best, coming into the PSL, I was always the number two or three.
“And for God to use a platform like Orlando Pirates to make me, play for the club for two and half years, if someone would have talked about I’d have said it’s impossible. When you say I was never entrusted with that position.
“For me to be here today in that position is by the grace of God, I can never say it’s myself because I have never actually been in that position. So I need to work on myself, try and be better – always push myself to do better than what I’ve done.
“Captaining the All Stars, tomorrow what can I do to be a better Sipho Chaine. A better goalkeeper and a better inspiration for those who look up to me.”
Chaine has racked up 70 appearances for the Soweto giants, conceding 48 goals, with 29 clean sheets – while lifting three MTN8 titles and the Nedbank Cup twice.
