Rushwin Dortley happy to play in front of home crowd

Returning to the Cape with Bafana a highlight for Chiefs defender

Sihle Ndebele Sports journalist
Rushwin Dortley of Bafana Bafana during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers match between South Africa and Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, October 11, 2024.
Rushwin Dortley of Bafana Bafana during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers match between South Africa and Congo at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, October 11, 2024.
Image: Deryck Foster/BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs centre-back Rushwin Dortley relishes the prospect of playing for Bafana Bafana in front of his family in his hometown, suggesting it still feels surreal to be back in Cape Town with the senior national team.

Dortley, who hails from Belhar in the Mother City, joined Chiefs from Cape Town Spurs in July this year. The 22-year-old is likely to play a major role when the already-qualified Bafana host South Sudan in their last game of the 2025 Afcon qualifiers at the Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday (6pm).

“It feels good to be back home, playing at home again after leaving Cape Town. The year 2024 has really been good so far in terms of my career ... going to play at Chiefs, which is the biggest club in the country,'' Dortley said.

“It hasn't sunk in yet because it has always been my dream to play in front of family for the national team but I never thought it was going to be for Bafana, I always thought it was going to be for Under-23. For me to play in front of them [his family] is really an honour... I am so happy to see my family happy.”

Dortley believes playing for Bafana is a reward for his hard work, vowing to remain consistent to keep his berth there, where he's established himself as one of the first-choice centre-backs,

“To reach one of my goals [that's to be in the Bafana set-up] and to continue doing it means my hard work is paying off. For me it's just to stay consistent and do what I've been doing to continue playing for the national team,'' the Chiefs defender said.

Dortley also lauded his club coach, Nasreddine Nabi, for allowing him to play the way he likes to play, adding it was also the same with Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

“I've learnt a lot from my club coach Nabi. His style of play is the way I like to play. I have adapted quickly to his style of play,'' Dortley said.

“I think [with] coach Broos, it’s a similar thing. The way they want to play and the way they want to do things [is similar]. I think that’s why it has been easy for me to adapt to Broos' style of play.”

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