Afcon and Nedbank Cup winner Mfundo Vilakazi sets his sights on Caf Confederation Cup with Kaizer Chiefs - 'I am a champion twice'

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi is an African champion after helping Amajita to the 2025 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations victory last weekend.

Just earlier on, Chiefs had lifted the Nedbank Cup and although Vilakazi missed the final against Orlando Pirates as he was with the South Africa Under-20, he got his medal after featuring in three games.

The Nedbank Cup gave Amakhosi a Caf Confederation Cup ticket and Vilakazi wants to use that tournament to gain experience.

"For the rest of the year, I need to keep on pushing. I will go back to my club and work hard and I am glad that we will be playing Caf next season," Vilakazi told reporters at OR Tambo International Airport.

"I think I need to focus and work hard and then everything else will come. Playing in Caf will help my game a lot because there is a lot of experience there, so I will also grow.

"I don't think so [that the pressure is off after winning the Nedbank Cup], because Kaizer Chiefs are a big team. There will always be pressure," he added.

"It shows that anything is possible. When you look at our season, it has not been so great, but I am a champion twice."

In recent seasons, Chiefs' young players have been mocked for being success-started while being compared to their Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates counterparts who have been winning trophies.

But after lifting the Nedbank Cup, that could cultivate a winning mentality in Nasreddine Nabi's boys.

Playing continental football is expected to help Chiefs youngsters gain experience, unlike reaching the 2020/21 Caf Champions League final, which did not seem to benefit the likes of Happy Mashiane and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, who were then rising stars.

Chiefs are left with just one match before their season ends and that is the hosting of Polokwane City at FNB Stadium on Sunday.

After failing to build on their Nedbank Cup victory by drawing 1-1 with Sekhukhune United last weekend, the Soweto giants would want to end the season on a high.