Mosimane asked Campbell to lead South Africa’s Under-23 side

South African international Shandre Campbell says Pitso Mosimane personally asked him to join the national Under-23 squad and use his experience to help guide the younger players.

The KV Kortrijk attacker is currently with the South Africa Under-23 team in Pretoria as they prepare for two important qualifying matches under head coach Raymond Mdaka.

Campbell’s selection raised eyebrows because he had recently made his senior international debut for Bafana Bafana during the previous FIFA international window.

The 21-year-old came off the bench in a 1-0 friendly win against Egypt and made an immediate impact, setting up Puso Dithejane to score the winning goal.

Despite that encouraging introduction to the senior team, Campbell was included in the Under-23 squad. He said Mosimane contacted him directly to explain the decision and made clear that he wanted him to take on a leadership role.

“Coach Pitso called me, and he told me he believed in me and he said he wanted me to go down to the under-23 and be a senior player and help them out as much as I can. I said, ‘Of course, coach, I will do anything for the nation.’”

Campbell said Mosimane’s confidence in him made it easy to accept the assignment, while he also has a strong relationship with the Under-23 group and coaching staff.

“The under-23 team has been my team since Cosafa. I know everyone very well and the coach Raymond [Mdaka] and coach Pitso believe in me. They trust me, which I love the most. Trust is important, so I thank them for trusting me,” he added.

Campbell turns attention to Madagascar tie

Campbell’s immediate priority is now helping Amaglug-glug progress through their two-legged qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games and U23 Africa Cup of Nations.

South Africa Under-23s will host Madagascar in the first leg on Saturday, 14 November. The match will begin at 15:00 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.

The return fixture will also be played at the same Tshwane venue, with the second leg scheduled for Tuesday, 17 November, at 20:00.

The assignment gives Campbell another opportunity to contribute at international level, this time as one of the more experienced members of the Under-23 squad after his first appearance for Bafana Bafana.