For a youngster once tipped to become one of Cape Town’s next football success stories, the future of Faiz Abrahams has suddenly become clouded by uncertainty.
The 21-year-old Kaizer Chiefs prospect, who recently returned from a spell in Israel with Hapoel Kfar Saba, has reportedly decided to step away from football altogether, leaving both his club and family searching for answers.
Abrahams was expected to report back to Naturena on Sunday alongside fellow Cape Town-born teammate Luke Baartman following his return to South Africa. Instead, the former Amajita international failed to arrive and subsequently indicated that he no longer wishes to continue his football career.
The development has stunned those closest to the talented attacker, particularly his parents, Muneer and Fazlin Abrahams, who say they have become increasingly concerned about a troubling change in his behaviour.
What makes the situation all the more surprising is that Abrahams appeared to have made an encouraging start to life at Amakhosi. The gifted youngster quickly showcased his potential, catching the eye with a spectacular free-kick goal and several assists during his brief stint in Chiefs colours.
Yet according to his father, the issue runs far deeper than football.
“It’s much deeper than that and definitely something with his wellbeing,” Muneer Abrahams told KickOff.com. “He doesn’t talk to us or anyone for that matter. Even his close friends are left in the dark and don’t know what is going on with him. If he’s not visiting a friend who lives nearby, he’s locked up in his room the whole day.
“During his time in Israel we noticed similar behaviour. He just went into his shell. He stopped calling us the way he normally would, but we can’t say exactly what caused it. As parents it’s extremely worrying. We are clueless and don’t know what to do. At the same time, we don’t want to put too much pressure on him because we don’t know how it could affect him. But naturally we’re concerned,” Muneer added.
Abrahams’ apparent withdrawal from the game has left family, friends and former teammates searching for explanations, with no clear indication yet of what prompted such a dramatic decision.
Muneer also appealed for understanding from the football community, warning against rushing to judgement during what appears to be a difficult period in his son’s life.
“People will probably have their opinions, but the reality is that Faiz comes from a good home,” he further explained. “My wife and I raised him with good morals and values. Yes, we live in a tough area in Cape Town, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t brought up with respect, discipline and good standards. We also asked ‘Boere’ (Luke Baartman), but even he doesn’t know.”
For now, questions outweigh answers.
A player once regarded as one of Cape Town football’s brightest young talents stands at an unexpected crossroads. While his future in the game remains uncertain, those closest to him are focused on something far more important than football: his wellbeing and happiness.
