Luke Baartman reflects on Kaizer Chiefs debut

South African junior international Luke Baartman has made his bow for Kaizer Chiefs, describing his debut for the Soweto giants as a highly emotional moment and calling the club a “great institution.”

The 19-year-old, born in Cape Town, featured in the Glamour Boys’ last Betway Premiership match of 2025, coming off the bench against TS Galaxy last Sunday, before the league recessed for the AFCON break.

The Long Road to the Pitch For Kaizer Chiefs Youngster

Baartman’s journey to the senior pitch was complicated. Although he joined Chiefs earlier in the season, his registration was stalled by a legal dispute initiated by his former club, Cape Town Spurs. He was only cleared to play after a definitive ruling from the SAFA’s arbitration panel paved the way for his highly anticipated debut.

Reflecting on finally earning his Amakhosi jersey, the attacker was ecstatic.

“It felt good to be back on the field, and it was a proud moment for me to wear the Kaizer Chiefs jersey,” Baartman said. “After training hard for the past few months, it was rewarding to finally play for this great institution.”

He also singled out the enthusiastic welcome from the thousands of Amakhosi fans at the Mbombela Stadium, noting it made the occasion particularly memorable.

Vowing to Fight for More Minutes At Kaizer Chiefs

Nicknamed ‘Boere’, Baartman replaced George Matlou in the 80th minute against Galaxy. He acknowledged that his short cameo was merely “okay” given his lengthy absence from competitive play.

“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 team deserved more than a point from the match, lamenting the officials’ decision to disallow a goal and wave away a strong penalty appeal in a game where Chiefs managed 25 shots without scoring.

Looking ahead to the new year, Baartman is focused on securing more game time and has committed to intensive work during the current AFCON break.

Kaizer Chiefs will resume their campaign on January 20th, 2026, with a league fixture against Lamontville Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium, followed shortly by a CAF Confederation Cup clash against Zesco United in Zambia.

Baartman concluded with a message of goodwill to the Amakhosi faithful: “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.”