Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has opened up about his new record of 21 clean sheets in a single Premier Soccer League (PSL) season.
Chaine also briefly shared his thoughts about possibly being selected in the Bafana Bafana final squad for the upcoming Fifa World Cup by coach Hugo Broos.
Speaking to the media after being crowned the 2025/26 Betway Premiership champions at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday night, Chaine said his dream is to represent Bafana at the World Cup.
“It is every player’s dream to represent their country at the World Cup, but the most important thing is to control what I can, which is playing every game like it is my last at Orlando Pirates,” Chaine said.
“All I can control is the amount of saves that I make, the crosses that I collect, and the communication with my teammates, and that has gone well up to this point. But the rest [being possibly selected for the World Cup], I will leave it to God and in the Lord’s hands.”
Broos is due to announce his final World Cup squad at the Union Buildings on Wednesday, and it is yet to be seen if Chaine will form part of the team after being surprisingly dropped in the previous camp.
The 29-year-old faces stiff competition, with Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper Brandon Petersen taking his form a level up this season, and is said to be a strong contender for one of the three goalkeeper spots alongside captain Ronwen Williams, Ricardo Goss, and Chaine.
Whatever outcome or final decision Broos makes, particularly on his goalkeeper department, Chaine has had an outstanding season at Pirates and is in pole position to defend his goalkeeper of the season accolade.
The Bloemfontein-born star managed to keep a record 21 clean sheets this season, surpassing the record of 19 set by Williams. Reacting to the feat, Chaine said…
“A lot must be said for you to get better and be the best. You must always shut out the noise, even though it is difficult at a club like Orlando Pirates, you must try by all means,” Chaine said.
“And for me, it helps me get better because the more I hear that I am not good enough and nowhere close to playing for a club like Orlando Pirates, it helps me push harder and be a better version of myself.
“The last four years here, as a team and as players, we worked so hard to get here and never focused a lot on the numbers. Yes, the numbers are a big part of football, but there is also a big part that is not about the numbers.
“But the most important thing for me is the little contribution that I gave to the team this season.”
- Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine set a new PSL record with 21 clean sheets in the 2025/26 season, surpassing Ronwen Williams' previous record of 19.
- Chaine expressed his dream to represent South Africa (Bafana Bafana) at the upcoming FIFA World Cup but emphasized focusing on his performance at Orlando Pirates.
- Despite his strong season, Chaine's inclusion in the final World Cup squad remains uncertain; he faces competition from Brandon Petersen, Ronwen Williams, and Ricardo Goss.
- Chaine credited criticism and doubt as motivating factors that pushed him to improve and perform at his best for Orlando Pirates.
- The 29-year-old is a leading candidate for the PSL Goalkeeper of the Season award following an outstanding performance throughout the campaign.
