Henri Stanic determined to turn MTN8 final heartbreak into Azam FC silverware

Henri Stanic says losing the 2025 MTN8 final with Stellenbosch FC has intensified his determination to win trophies with Azam FC.

The Belgian defender played for Stellenbosch in the final against Orlando Pirates, when the Cape Winelands club came close to claiming the trophy before suffering defeat against the Buccaneers.

Stanic, 24, has since moved to Tanzanian side Azam FC and hopes the next stage of his career will bring the success that eluded him in South Africa.

Speaking exclusively to the Siya crew about his ambitions, Stanic explained how difficult it was to progress through the competition and then leave the final empty-handed.

“I don’t even know how to start, but I would like to win a trophy. Even two trophies, but if I can win a trophy with Azam, for me it’s going to be amazing,” Stanic told the Siya crew.

“Because last season with Stellenbosch I was in the final against Pirates, and I could feel the trophy, but we lost in the final, and that feeling I don’t want to feel anymore in my life, to lose a final like that.

“To win games in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and to come in the final and to lose, it’s not a good feeling, but I would like to win something with Azam.”

Stanic has begun settling into life in Tanzania after leaving Stellenbosch and wants to make a lasting contribution to his new club.

His ambitions extend beyond simply collecting a medal. The former Belgian youth international hopes to help Azam succeed in domestic competitions and on the continental stage, while also ensuring his time at the club is remembered.

“Even if it’s CAF, the league, or the cup, it doesn’t matter which one, but I would like to win a trophy with Azam, and to put my name in the club,” he continued.

“When people are going to look in five years’ time, in 20 years, or in 30 years, that they can see, we had a Belgian player, and he was a defender, and he did that in that game, and he won a trophy, and he helped us to win the cup, that’s what I want with Azam.”

The move to Azam represents another step in a career shaped by different football environments. During his time with Stellenbosch, Stanic gained experience in the Betway Premiership and the CAF Confederation Cup before making the switch to East Africa.

His departure from the South African club has also brought a change in football culture and working surroundings. Stanic is set to discuss that transition in greater detail, including his relationship with Azam coach Florent Ibenge and the differences between South African and Tanzanian football.

He will also outline his longer-term ambitions in an exclusive Soccer Laduma interview published in edition 1490, which is now on sale.

For now, Stanic’s immediate focus is on ensuring that his next final does not end in the same disappointment as his last one. His stated aim is clear: to win silverware with Azam FC and leave behind a contribution that remains part of the club’s history.