Mduduzi Shabalala targets strong return after World Cup heartbreak

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mduduzi Shabalala has spoken publicly for the first time about the serious injury that ended his 2025-26 season and ended his hopes of being included in South Africa’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 22-year-old was carried off on a stretcher late in the first half of Kaizer Chiefs’ heated Betway Premiership match against Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 6 May.

Shabalala was taken to hospital immediately after the incident, where scans revealed a severe fracture to his right humerus. The injury required surgery and brought a premature end to a campaign in which he had established himself as one of Kaizer Chiefs’ most important attacking players.

The midfielder had been enjoying an impressive run of form before the setback, scoring five goals and providing significant creativity in the final third. His performances had also attracted the attention of Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos.

However, the timing of the injury was particularly damaging for Shabalala. It came only days before Broos was due to finalise his squad selections, with the Kaizer Chiefs player regarded as a strong contender for a place in the national team.

“For me, even now it’s difficult to talk about that,” Shabalala said on the Kaizer Chiefs YouTube channel.

“Because I was in the game and I was feeling the game, I was enjoying the moment. We were not playing with pressure; we were just expressing ourselves.

“So, I think me going into that incident, I think I received the ball from Pule [Mmodi], and after receiving, I opened my body. I heard something on my leg; he (Jayden Adams) tackled me on my right foot.

“I fell. Also, I didn’t want to fall straight, because I did not want to land on my shoulder; I wanted to land on my back. Unfortunately, that’s where the problem started.

“The plan was to land on my back, but my hand was still behind; I didn’t turn my body quickly enough.

“To me, it was to say, maybe it’s not my turn. I should wait for my turn; maybe God does things in His own way, and He knows why He put me in this situation.

“I believe my turn will come again; I will come back soon and I will come back strong,” added the midfielder.

Shabalala, who is affectionately known as “Mdu or Die”, has since completed his rehabilitation and made an immediate impact on his return to competitive football.

He came off the bench to score a decisive 84th-minute goal as Kaizer Chiefs defeated Sekhukhune United 2-0 at FNB Stadium on 12 August. The goal marked an emphatic return for the midfielder and underlined his determination to rebuild his career after the lengthy absence.

Having demonstrated that he is fit and ready to compete again, Shabalala will now be hoping to regain a regular place in Broos’ Bafana Bafana plans.

His immediate international objective is likely to be a return to the squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, after injury denied him the chance to challenge for selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.