The young player has had a tough journey to recovery but is ready to fulfil his aspirations.

One moment Rushwin Dortley was living a fairy tale-like life, playing for one of the biggest clubs in Africa - Kaizer Chiefs. He had also managed to establish himself as a vital cog in Hugo Broos's Bafana Bafana team just months after joining Chiefs.

The Belgian is not an easy person to impress, but Dortley quickly convinced Broos to make him part of his plans. By all accounts, the Cape Town-born defender was on top of the world.

Then, in March, his fairy tale was shattered by a serious knee injury during a league match against Mamelodi Sundowns. It required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

Injuries are part of sport, especially one as physical as soccer. Nevertheless, it was a disappointing development after the player's stocks had risen drastically during the first half of last season, thanks to his commanding performances in the backline.

Uncharted territory

Dortley (23) had never had such a serious injury, and at the time it happened he was one of the few shining lights in a struggling Chiefs team. As a result,...