Next-gen football heroes - Mfundo Vilikazi
Mfundo Vilakazi is part of a group of young athletes leading the charge into a new era of South African football excellence.
The talented midfielder born in Soweto, is affectionately known as ‘O.B’, derived from "Obrigado," which means "Thank You" in Portuguese.
He began his journey with the Kaizer Chiefs academy in January 2021 and has swiftly progressed through various age groups, starting from the U-17 team to the U-19s and reserve teams. His exceptional skills and dedication were recognized during the 2023-24 season when he earned a promotion to the Kaizer Chiefs first team.
Mfundo made his debut for the first team in a significant Nedbank Cup round of 32 match against Milford on February 25, 2024. Despite his young age of 18, his impact on the team has been profound, leading to a four-year contract extension that ties him to Amakhosi until June 2028. Throughout the 2023-24 season, he showcased his abilities in 7 matches across various competitions.
Reflecting on his journey, Mfundo expresses deep gratitude for the opportunity to sign his first professional contract—a moment he describes as a dream come true.
"Signing my first football contract and joining the team was an incredibly exciting and honourable moment for me. It fulfilled a lifelong dream, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play at this level. To know that a big name team is willing to take a chance on you and that they believe in your talent and want you to represent them makes you feel good. And it makes you want to succeed. So many people believe in me and I've shown them what I'm capable of.”
Revealing his keys to success, Mfundo emphasises discipline, hard work, and determination.
"These qualities are essential not just in football but in life," he says. "When you carry all the three with you are most likely to do well and they are what drive me to improve every day. He adds that he maintains a balanced approach to his training regimen. "I train with the team in the mornings and dedicate afternoons to perfecting my technique and endurance.”
Mfundo exudes confidence in his abilities. "I believe my skills and determination will make me one of the best players in this country's future," he says, adding that his strengths on the field lie in his adeptness at assisting and scoring goals, as well as his skillful dribbling that often leaves opponents in his wake.
“I do think that I have a very positive mindset. My family keeps me motivated as they’ve always been there for me, especially in hard times, but I also believe in myself and know that I have the talent. You must tell yourself that you are the best.”
It is this talent that has resulted in many clips of his most outstanding moments on the field going viral online as people celebrate the young star. Asked how he feels about this, he says “It makes me happy and it proves that people love me. It’s nice to be loved,” he laughs. “But it motivates me as well as now I can't disappoint all those people looking up to me, so I work harder to get even better and make more great moments.”
He cites one of his career highlights being with the Kaizer Chiefs reserve team, where he scored in the final and helped secure the DStv Diski Shield.
Beyond personal accolades, Mfundo is driven by being a part of a new group of young talent as well as the prospect of inspiring younger generations.
"I feel good and motivated to be amongst the best talents in the country, it gives me more energy to work harder and do more. How I think we are changing the game is by bringing new skills and ideas to modern football. This new generation of soccer players are very exciting to watch and learn from, and it's great to be the ones that the younger generations are looking up to and inspired by.”
Mfundo believes in the importance of youth programs in shaping the next generation of athletes. "Youth programs are crucial because they teach discipline and promote good habits," he emphasises.
"They provide young people with opportunities to excel in sports and avoid negative influences. When you play youth soccer it is all about developing as an individual, which is important for kids, to have that guidance and safe space to do so. And the best part is that you get to do without the increased pressure of producing results as we have in professional football.” Despite this pressure, he says he wouldn't trade what he does for anything.
"I love playing football. It’s a great game and it has a way of bringing people together, regardless of background or culture. When we unite on the field, we are one community. You forget about everything when playing football and you enjoy each and every moment.