Kaizer Chiefs legend Siyabonga Nomvethe breaks silence after Mamelodi Sundowns' Peter Shalulile shattered his PSL goals record - 'He worked hard for it, and he did it in front of everyone'

Kaizer Chiefs legend Siyabonga Nomvethe has reacted after Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile broke his Premier Soccer League goal record.

The retired striker said Shalulile deserves the record because he has worked for it.

The former Bafana Bafana also acknowledged the feeling that the record should have been broken by a native South African star.

"We all wish that a South African player had broken the record, but there's nothing we can do. The boy deserves this achievement. He worked hard for it, and he did it in front of everyone," Nomvether told KickOff.

"It's always gratifying to see young players succeeding, regardless of their nationality. I understand the sentiment that such records should remain within our country rather than belong to other nations. For example, Collins Mbesuma still holds the record for the most league goals in a season, and that record belongs to Zambia," he added.

"I anticipated that my record would eventually be broken because Shalulile is still active in the game, while I have retired."

Bhele, as Nomvethe is popularly known, encouraged active strikers to aim higher and warned them against being overly generous with passes within the penalty box.

"Hard work pays off. My advice to aspiring strikers is to work hard to score goals. Don't expect goals to come easily. You should aim to finish each season as the league's top goalscorer - that is the key focus for a striker," he said.

"Every season, strive for the Golden Boot. A striker's primary duty is to score goals, not to model on the field. Sometimes you must keep your ears closed and not pay attention to your teammates' calls for a pass. Ultimately, it’s your performance in terms of goals that will be evaluated, not theirs," Nomvethe added.

"Don’t be overly generous. Even coaches prefer strikers who shoot rather than pass from inside the box."

Shalulile shattered Nomvethe's record when he netted against Stellenbosch through a penalty on Saturday. This goal took his tally to 130 goals in the PSL.

Against Magesi, the Sundowns striker scored and equalled the record, and from then on it became a case of when, not if, he would eventually break the record that stood for seven years and 10 months.

Although his future was a subject of speculation in the transfer window, the Namibian looked settled and ready to deliver.

If he stays with Sundowns, the soccer world will now watch and see how far he can go in extending the goals record in the PSL.