Campbell Wins First Trophy At Club Brugge
South African teenage sensation Shandre Campbell has won his first piece of silverware with Club Brugge after the Belgian giants secured a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in the Crocky Cup final on Sunday evening.
Highly rated 21-year-old Belgian wonderkid Romeo Vermant scored a brace for Brugge, netting in both halves, before second-half substitute Luis Vazquez scored what only proved to be a consolation for Anderlecht in stoppage time.
As a result, Brugge lifted the Crocky Cup, equivalent to an FA Cup, for the first time since the 2014/15 season and for the 12th time in their history, making them the most successful club in the competition, followed by Anderlecht with nine titles.
While he was not part of the matchday squad, Campbell received a winners’ medal and was part of the trophy celebrations at full time. The 19-year-old star was handed a promotion to the first team after impressing in the reserve league and made his top-flight debut in February.
Moreover, the talented youngster was included in the UEFA Champions League squad that faced English Premier League outfit Aston Villa in the round of 16 in March. However, Unai Emery’s side proved to be stronger than the Belgians across the two-legged tie.
The SuperSport United academy graduate, who joined Brugge in July 2024 on a contract that runs until June 2027, caught the eye in the Challenger Pro League with nine goals scored and two assists provided in 19 appearances for Club NXT, Brugge’s academy in the second tier.
Now, the South African under-20 international will be hoping to make more first-team appearances, with the Challenger Pro League having come to a close. In addition, Campbell will be keen to add another trophy to his cabinet as Brugge are still in contention for the league title.
Brugge trail log leaders Union Saint Gilloise with one point in the six-team playoff championship group, having accumulated 46 points. With three matches remaining, the Bruges-based outfit will face Genk in their next league outing on Sunday.
