Veteran coach draws comparisons between Mfundo Vilakazi and FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi, lashes out at Kaizer Chiefs coaches for 'lacking trust in these young talents'

Mfundo Vilakazi has struggled to turn himself into a consistent performer for Kaizer Chiefs and fulfil the promise he showed at the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

It was a tournament; the midfielder showed signs that he can be a key player for his club at the highest level, especially as Amakhosi were participating in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Veteran coach Mlungisi Ngubane has taken a swipe at Chiefs co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef for what he feels is a lack of faith in Vilakazi and other Amakhosi youngsters.

With Vilakazi not an imposing figure body-wise, Ngubane says that should not count against the player while making reference to Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning captain, Lionel Messi.

"The physical stature of a player should not be a concern; Vilakazi matches the size of renowned players such as Lionel Messi," Ngubane told KickOff.

"However, Kaze and Youssef seem to lack trust in these young talents."

Kaze and Ben Youssef face an uncertain future at Naturena, and former Chiefs star Mike Rapatsa does not see it as wise to release them now but would not want them to continue at Naturena beyond this season.

"I believe that they must just finish [the season]; the league is about to finish," he said, as quoted by FARPost.

“They lost all the trophies to play for; there is absolutely nothing to play for now. Even if they do get a coach, let them get a coach with a high profile, a coach who knows his business, who can take on a Kaizer Chiefs project that needs to be worked on.

“But it also depends on the management. What kind of vision do they have, because if they have a good vision, they will hire a coach who shares the same vision as them? But now firing the coaches will not help in anything."

“Ten years of not being able to win any trophy has been broken by [Nasreddine] Nabi [who won the Nedbank Cup last season], but that doesn’t mean Kaizer Chiefs have arrived,” Rapatsa continued.

“They haven’t arrived; in fact, they are stagnant. If you look at what the technical team is doing. They don’t look like people who know what they are doing. Every week, we are exposed to a different team.

“Players who deserve to be in the starting line-up are on the bench. How can they play Matlou in a key Confederation Cup match? A cup that matters the most. Matlou, who has not been playing in the league or cup games," added Rapatsa.

"As unfit as he is, they decide to play him where it matters most against Zamalek, away in Egypt. I don’t know how people look at this, but I think the technical team is confused."