Leaner Reveals Khune Inspired His Dream Move To Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs’ new goalkeeper, Renaldo Leaner, has revealed that club legend Itumeleng Khune was his biggest local football idol growing up, crediting the former Amakhosi captain with inspiring his goalkeeping journey and lifelong dream of wearing the club’s famous gold and black jersey.
Learner recently completed his move to Chiefs after parting ways with Sekhukhune United at the end of the 2025/26 season. The shot-stopper has now opened up about the role Khune played in shaping his ambitions, describing the former Bafana Bafana captain as the local hero he admired most during his childhood.
Speaking to the club’s media department, Learner said Khune was the goalkeeper he looked up to while growing up, while also drawing inspiration from two of football’s greatest international goalkeepers.
“As a youngster, I looked up to Itumeleng Khune as my local hero,” Learner said.
“Internationally, Manuel Neuer and Edwin van der Sar were my role models. They inspired my love for goalkeeping, and I learned a lot from watching them play on television.”
Khune’s influence on South African football makes Learner’s admiration understandable. Although he was promoted to Chiefs’ first team in 2004, the legendary goalkeeper had to wait three years for his breakthrough.
That opportunity finally arrived on 25 August 2007 when then-head coach Muhsin Ertugral handed him his senior debut against Jomo Cosmos at Kings Park Stadium in Durban. At just 20 years old, Khune seized his chance and never looked back.
From that moment, he established himself as one of the greatest goalkeepers in South African football history. Widely known as “Mzansi’s Number One”, Khune became the country’s most celebrated goalkeeper and spent his entire professional career with Amakhosi.
Khune also enjoyed a distinguished international career after making his senior Bafana Bafana debut on 11 March 2008 in a 2-1 friendly victory over Zimbabwe, starting the match.
His success at Chiefs further cemented his legendary status. During his career, Khune helped Amakhosi win 12 major trophies, including three Betway Premiership titles, three MTN8 crowns, four Carling Knockout trophies and two Nedbank Cup titles. His playing contract with Chiefs officially came to an end on 30 June 2024 after the club decided not to renew his deal as an active player.
Learner has since followed in some of Khune’s footsteps by earning international recognition himself. The 27-year-old made his senior Bafana Bafana debut on 6 June 2025 in an international friendly against Tanzania.
The goalkeeper also reflected on how his football journey began in Cape Town before eventually leading him to one of South Africa’s biggest clubs.
“I come from Cape Town, specifically the Cape Flats. I am very proud to join this club,” he said.
“I grew up playing in the streets after school with my friends, always with a ball at my feet.
“My parents loved football and were happy to introduce me to the game. At the time, I just played for fun without knowing where it would take me.
“My first club was Matroosfontein, where I spent about three to five years. I then moved to Central AFC in Elsies River until I was around 14 or 15 years old before Ajax Cape Town scouted me.
“That was where I realised I could make a career in football. I started taking the game seriously and gave everything to secure a good professional contract. I also continued with my studies, completed my degree, and from there my career took off.”
Learner is currently in Spain with Amakhosi for their pre-season training camp, where he will be hoping to impress the technical team ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, with Chiefs set to begin their new season next month.
Having grown up idolising Khune, Learner now has the opportunity to write his own chapter at the club where his childhood hero became a legend.
