Europe-honed Bradley Cross is rewriting his soccer story at Kaizer Chiefs

After an injury shattered his European dream, the Kaizer Chiefs defender has picked up the pieces and rebuilt.

- By Yanga Sibembe

It may be an overused phrase, but it is also an accurate description of this rollercoaster we find ourselves on. Life is unpredictable. Certainly, this is true for Kaizer Chiefs defender Bradley Cross.

The Kempton Park-born player was moulded by the academies of Mpumalanga Black Aces and Bidvest Wits. Both those teams are now defunct, but Cross still carries the passion for soccer they instilled in him. Even after a setback that followed a dream international move.

He attracted international interest passing through those youth structures, and German side Schalke came swooping down in 2018, two years before Wits went defunct.

The big switch

It was a dream move for Cross, an opportunity to develop at an even faster pace on foreign soil and out of his comfort zone. The defender was just 17, but he adjusted effortlessly to his new surroundings, playing for Schalke's U19 side.

So impressive was he that he attracted a number of English Premier League clubs when his time in Germany ended. He chose Newcastle United in 2020.

"He's a well-rounded character who made a good impression with everyone in terms of how he has behaved and how he conducts himself," Chris Hogg, who was the reserve team coach, said of Cross at the time.

"We want people who want to work hard and do things right. So, from our point of view, we're delighted to have him and look forward to developing his game and seeing how far we can take him."

Everything seemed rosy for Cross. He soon established himself in Newcastle, captaining the junior Magpies on a few occasions.