Club Brugge star Shandre Campbell is now set to be the only South African in the upcoming 2025/26 UEFA Champions League.
Brugge secured their place in the competition after a 6-0 win over Scottish giants Rangers on Wednesday, completing a 9-1 aggregate victory in the qualifying play-offs.
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The Belgian side are now guaranteed a spot in the league phase of the tournament, putting Campbell in a strong position to make his Champions League debut.
Last season, Campbell came close to making his first appearance in Europe’s most elite club competition, as he was included in the squad to face Aston Villa, but remained an unused substitute.
The last South African to feature in a Champions League match was Percy Tau, who also played for Club Brugge, back in the 2018/19 season.
While the likes of Tau, Sibusiso Zuma and Tsepo Masilela have appeared in the Champions League, only a few South Africans have managed to score in the competition — Benni McCarthy, Quinton Fortune and Steven Pienaar among them.
According to Transfermarkt, Campbell was officially promoted to the Brugge senior team in February 2025, having previously signed as a Club NXT player, the club’s reserve side.
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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Photo sourced from Getty Images
