SA junior international Luke Baartman has shared his thoughts following his recent debut for Kaizer Chiefs, describing the Soweto giants as a “great institution.
The Cape Town-born attacker made his first senior appearance in Chiefs colours last Sunday, coming on as a second-half substitute in the final Betway Premiership fixture of 2025 against TS Galaxy before the league went into its AFCON break.
But Baartman’s journey to Chiefs was far from straightforward. While he joined the Soweto giants earlier this season, his registration was initially hampered by legal challenges lodged by his former club, Cape Town Spurs. He was only officially cleared for action after a ruling delivered by the SAFA’s arbitration panel, allowing him to make his much-anticipated debut.
Reflecting on finally donning the famous jersey, the 19-year-old was ecstatic. “It felt good to be back on the field, and it was a proud moment for me to wear the Chiefs jersey,” he said. “After training hard for the past few months, it was rewarding to finally play for this great institution.”
He highlighted that the warm reception from the thousands of Amakhosi fans at the Mbombela Stadium made the occasion even more significant.
BAARTMAN VOWS TO WORK HARD DURING AFCON BREAK, EYES MORE GAME TIME
Baartman, nicknamed ‘Boere’, replaced George Matlou in the 80th minute of the Galaxy match. Reflecting on his short cameo, he admitted his performance was “okay” given his lack of recent competitive action.
“Though it wasn’t easy, since I haven’t played for a while, I feel I contributed to the attack as we tried to unlock Galaxy’s defence,” he noted.
The youngster believes the Glamour Boys deserved to win the match, lamenting the officials’ decision to rule out one legitimate goal and wave away a strong penalty appeal. The team registered 25 shots but failed to find the back of the net.
Looking ahead, Baartman is eager for more game time in the new year and has vowed to continue working hard during the current AFCON break.
Chiefs will kick off 2026 with a league fixture against Lamontville Golden Arrows on January 20th at FNB Stadium, followed by a CAF Confederation Cup trip to Zambia to face Zesco United a few days later.
Baartman concluded with a message to the fans: “I wish our supporters happy festive holidays and a Merry Christmas. We look forward to seeing them in numbers again after the break as we resume our league and Confederation Cup campaigns.”
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