Flavio Silva Under the Microscope as Kaizer Chiefs Seek Number Nine Solution

Guinea-Bissau-born striker Flavio Silva has become the latest subject of intense focus at Kaizer Chiefs as the club continues its long-standing quest to find a reliable frontman for the number nine position. After years of rotating strikers who failed to live up to the demands of Naturena, all eyes will be on Silva to prove he can deliver where many before him have fallen short.

Silva offered a first glimpse of his capabilities on Tuesday evening during Chiefs’ pre-season opener — a 2-1 defeat to Dutch second-tier side Vitesse Arnhem. Handed a starting berth by new head coach Nasreddine Nabi, Silva showed energy and commitment, frequently pressing the opposition defence and making himself available in attacking areas. However, his performance also raised questions, as he often appeared clumsy on the ball and struggled to make a decisive impact in front of goal.

At 29, Silva is no developmental prospect — he arrives in South Africa needing to make an immediate impression. The DStv Premiership is a step up from Indonesia’s Liga 1, where he spent the past two and a half years playing for Persik Kediri and Persebaya Surabaya. While he enjoyed some success in Southeast Asia, scoring goals with consistency, his earlier career in Portugal’s second division yielded just 17 goals in eight years — far from the type of record that guarantees instant confidence from the Chiefs faithful.

For the Amakhosi, the striker’s position has been a revolving door of hits, misses, and more often than not, disappointments. Legendary names like Collins Mbesuma, who scored 37 goals for the club, and Knowledge Musona, with 44 strikes to his name, have set a high benchmark. These players are remembered fondly for their impact and clinical edge.

But for every success story, there has been a long list of underwhelming performers. Players like Songwe Chalwe (5 goals), Jose Torrealba (7), Gustavo Paez (10), Kabamba Musasa (14), and Liberty Masunda (6) delivered only average returns and were unable to cement long-term roles at the club.

Worse still are those who failed to score altogether or failed to make any notable impression. Among those names are Wasiu Ipaye, Efmamjjasond Gonzalez, and Halidou Malam — strikers who barely made it onto the scoresheet, if at all. They are joined by the likes of Michelle Katsvairo, Camaldine Abraw, Aaron Lubunda, and Lazarous Kambole, whose time at Naturena ended in disappointment.

Also included in that extended list of failed striker experiments are Lewis Macha, Ricardo, Ibe Zito Ogbonna, Luke Petros, Louis Agyemang, Serge Djiehoua, Kelvin Mushangazhike, Emeka Mamale, Tony Ilodigwe, and Abbas Amidu. Each of them arrived with expectations and departed with little fanfare, unable to handle the pressure that comes with leading the line at one of Africa’s most supported clubs.

Now, the responsibility falls on Flavio Silva to reverse that narrative. Whether he’ll rise to join the ranks of Chiefs’ celebrated finishers or fade into the lengthy list of unfulfilled potential remains to be seen. What is clear is that time will not be on his side. Chiefs need goals, and they need them now. The 2025/26 season could very well define Silva’s career — and determine whether he writes his name in gold or disappears into the shadows of Naturena history.