How Sundowns fallen heroes’ jerseys made a comeback

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Jayden Adams’ Number Eight has been retired for one season. (PHOTO: @Masandawana)

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How Sundowns fallen heroes’ jerseys made a comeback

Aug 15, 2026 – 11:55 am
By Thato Bosoga

After Mamelodi Sundowns announced that they retired the late midfielder Jayden Adams’ number 8 for the 2026/27 season, KickOff looks at the jersey numbers which were previously not in use at the club in honor of fallen heroes.

After a tragic period experienced by Sundowns in late 2020, after losing both Anele Ngcongca and Motjeka Madisha, The Brazilians did not announce whether they would retire the jersey number 16 and 2 respectively.

However, it was evident that Masandawana, in honor of their former players, reserved both shirts in honor of their former beloved stars, after they were not in use intermittently.

Aubrey Modiba was handed the number 16 shirt which was worn by Ngcongca in the following season although he later changed to number 6, while Letlhaku also wore the number before switching to number 43 last campaign.

In the 2024/25 season, Sundowns also let go of the number 2 shirt which was worn by Madisha and allowed Malibongwe Khoza to wear it, who also played with the same number last season.

The late Gift Leremi’s number 12 jersey was also returned, after it was worn previously by the likes of Emiliano Tade and George Maluleka.

In contrast, Kaizer Chiefs took the decision to officially retire the number 26 shirt which was worn by Luke Fleurs, following his passing in April 2024, even though Fleurs was yet to make his debut for Chiefs.

Other high-profile former players who have had their jerseys retired posthumously, includes the late Lesley Manyathela, who wore number 22 at Orlando Pirates before his passing in 2003, ex goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa’s number 1 (Oct 2014) and Clifford Moleko (number 13), who died in a car accident while on loan at Seven Stars from Pirates in 1998.

Apart from jerseys retired in honor of fallen heroes, legend Jomo Sono has a retired jersey number 10 at Pirates while Doctor Khumalo’s number 15 and Howard Freese’s number 20 are also officially no longer in use at Chiefs.