Bafana Bafana international Shandre Campbell has revealed the conversation he had with senior national team head coach Pitso Mosimane regarding his inclusion in the South Africa Under-23 side for the ongoing FIFA international break.
Campbell forms part of Raymond Mdaka’s U-23 squad, currently fine-tuning preparations for their crucial Olympic Games qualifier against Madagascar at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
The first-leg clash is scheduled for Saturday at 15:00 CAT, while the return fixture will take place at the same venue on Tuesday at 20:00 CAT.
The 21-year-old winger, who made his name at SuperSport United before moving to Belgian outfit Club Brugge, was part of Mosimane’s senior Bafana setup during the September/October international window. He notably set up Puso Dithejane’s winner in a 1-0 friendly victory over Egypt at Cairo International Stadium.
However, Campbell was left out of the senior squad for this month’s back-to-back AFCON qualifiers against Kenya, instead dropping down to assist the junior national side.
WHAT PITSO MOSIMANE TOLD SHANDRE CAMPBELL ON U-23 ROLE
Speaking to journalists during the U-23 team’s training session at the University of Pretoria on Wednesday, Campbell shared that Mosimane personally reached out to assure him of his standing within the Bafana setup.
“Coach Pitso [Mosimane] did call me. He told me that he strongly believes in me and explained why he wanted me to step down to the Under-23s,” Campbell said. “He said I should go be a leader in that group and help the team as much as I can. I told him, ‘Of course, coach, I will do anything for the nation.’
“The U-23 team has been my home since the COSAFA Cup, so I know the group well. Coach Pitso and coach Raymond [Mdaka] both believe in me and trust me, which means everything. They know the player and person I am, and trust is key. I appreciate them for having faith in me.”
BAFANA WINGER REFLECTS ON PAST TOURNAMENT MISSES
Campbell also reflected on past heartbreaks, having missed out on South Africa’s triumphant U-20 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] campaign and the subsequent U-20 FIFA World Cup after Club Brugge opted against releasing him for junior international duty.
The left-footed attacker has since put those setbacks behind him as he sets his sights on helping South Africa qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“I accept that maybe it wasn’t my time back then, so I’m just grateful for this opportunity now,” Campbell added. “I don’t dwell on the past; I focus on what lies ahead. And I think that’s how we should approach life every day—focus on the present and the future because that’s the real gift we have, rather than looking back.”
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