Kaizer Chiefs’ young defender Aiden McCarthy has emerged as a pivotal figure in the Soweto giants’ impressive start to the 2025/26 season, impressing with his composed and seamless performances at the heart of their defence.
Amakhosi appear to have left last season’s defensive struggles behind them, remaining unbeaten and yet to concede a goal this term. This marks a significant turnaround from last season, when mistakes and inconsistency often hampered the team’s progress.
A graduate of the club’s youth ranks, McCarthy quickly made his mark in the senior squad, earning two Player-of-the-Match awards in wins over Stellenbosch FC (2-0) and Polokwane City (1-0). However, his promising run was temporarily halted after he suffered a knock during their 1-0 win against Richards Bay FC.
Reflecting on his early-season performances, the 21-year-old said the recognition motivates him to maintain high standards on the pitch, but he constantly reminds himself to stay grounded.
“It motivates me to keep doing what I can do on the field and show everyone what I am capable of,” McCarthy said.
“I believe in myself, and it shows that the coaches also believe in me. I am happy to achieve the awards, but I never let it get to my head.”
The Chiefs defender also credited his side’s preseason tour to the Netherlands as a key factor in jump-starting their positive campaign.
“The Netherlands pre-season tour was amazing.
“It’s brought a different side to us, the mentality and team spirit amongst the guys, and I feel like we have gelled more. It has shown in the start of our journey this season, so everything is positive.
“From myself it will be mainly about controlling what I can when given the opportunity and showcasing what I am capable of doing in the field.”
Having won the 2024/25 DSTV Diski Challenge league title with Chiefs’ reserves, McCarthy highlighted the importance of sustaining momentum with the senior side, especially after an unbeaten start in the opening five fixtures.
“It’s the same as last season; it is just experiencing it with a different team because last season I was with the Diski team. It was the same: a good start to the season, and then it was about maintaining that momentum.
“The league is 30 games; it’s not just five weeks, so it’s all about taking every game as it comes and collecting three points.”
With their strong start, questions have emerged about whether Amakhosi can go all the way this season. While the prospect is enticing for the young centre-back, McCarthy stressed the importance of taking things one match at a time and also provided an update on his injury.
“I am resuming training at the end of this week; I will be back soon,” McCarthy continued.
“We are breathing the three-point game by game oxygen.
“We want to take it game by game. The season is still long; we still have CAF, Nedbank Cup, Carling Knockout, and all the other games that need to be played. The objective is game by game.”
