“I hope Leeds can entrench themselves in the top flight and one day return to the Champions League, where they belong” Lucas Radebe on seeing his former side on the rise again
As Leeds United gear up for their second season back in the Premier League, last year’s 14th-place finish has left supporters daring to dream that the club are on the path to re-establishing themselves as a Premier League force.
And it’s not just the fans who are harbouring these ambitions, with the club’s legendary former captain Lucas Radebe also hoping that his old side can soon return to their former glories.
The South African skippered the side in the Champions League at the start of the millennium and believes the club belong in Europe’s biggest club competition.
Radebe on his hopes for Leeds
“It’s going to be challenging for Leeds during the 2026-27 season in terms of competing and staying in the league,” Radebe tells FourFourTwo when asked about the upcoming campaign.
“But hopefully in the future the club can entrench itself and someday qualify for the Champions League, and get back to where it belongs,” he adds as his thoughts turn to those big European nights at Elland Road.
“Throughout the years that I was there, we competed in the Champions League and had hopes of winning the Premier League. Hopefully we will bring those glory days back to the club.
Boss Daniel Farke is gearing up for his fourth season in charge of the Whites and Radebe believes manager and club are a perfect fit.
“The current manager, Daniel Farke, is a great person and fantastic boss. He isn’t a typical big-club manager, but is somebody well-suited to Leeds, whose fans are passionate about their football and want to see their team competing in the Premier League for the long haul once again.”
Radebe was still a Leeds player when he retired in 2005, but remains a regular visitor to Elland Road and was officially named as a club ambassador last year and has been invited to speak at the club’s academy to impart his wisdom to Leeds’ young hopefuls.
“I sometimes pinch myself just to wake up and realise that it’s really me who receives such a great welcome,” he continues.
“From nowhere, I became a household name in such a great club and beautiful city. It was an honour and privilege to return and be involved in a way that I could impart my experience and share my history with the academy youngsters – it had been a long time since I was at the club.
“There is obviously a change of personnel and everything is different now. But to have been reintroduced at Leeds with the current players, staff and academy was absolutely amazing. I felt the value they see in me being able to contribute positively to the club. Then heading to the Radebe Suite and seeing the passion of the Leeds fans – to the point they tattoo their bodies with my face – it’s another level. I didn’t set out to be a legend, but to play football and showcase my talent, and doing that at Leeds was a dream come true.
“I also know about the Radebeer, which has been brewed in my honour, although I don’t actually drink alcohol myself!”
