Miguel Cardoso opens up on Jayden Adams’ death: ‘I struggle to survive’

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says he found it extremely difficult to cope with the death of former midfielder Jayden Adams, admitting that the loss brought back traumatic memories from his own life.

Adams died shortly after Bafana Bafana returned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in July, sending shockwaves across South Africa. He was 25.

Sundowns postponed their pre-season tour of Austria following Adams’ death, while the PSL also delayed the club’s opening Betway Premiership match against Marumo Gallants. The changes gave The Brazilians and their players additional time to grieve after their preparations had already been disrupted.

Cardoso said Adams had been a warm and approachable person, making his death particularly difficult for those who knew him.

“He was a very tender person, very easy to relate to. I confess I struggled a lot; I have a lot of difficulty dealing with death, a lot,” Cardoso said in an interview with the club’s official YouTube channel.

“I had a lot of traumatic moments in my life where my grandmother and grandfather died in two days, so it was a dramatic experience for myself.”

The Portuguese coach said the pain eventually became easier to accept, but initially left him struggling to function.

“The level of pain that, obviously, became love and acceptance later, but it was very tough to deal with, so when I go back to those moments, I struggle to survive,” he added.

Cardoso said he and his squad did not try to hide their emotions as they mourned Adams together during their time in Austria.

“But I had to be strong. I think the most honest thing we did was that we cried together; we had no problem crying and embraced each other,” he said.

“I said to the guys, ‘Sorry, man, I don’t worry if you see me crying; let me cry. If you need to cry, cry. If you need to go out after training, go.’”

The coach also maintained close contact with several former Stellenbosch players who had grown up alongside Adams.

“There were a lot of calls, a lot of messages to the Stellenbosch guys, obviously: Fawaaz Basadien, Kegan Johannes, Antonio Van Wyk, Tashreeq Matthews, players that grew up with him, Iqraam Rayners obviously, a lot of extra care with them,” Cardoso said.

He explained that showing his own grief helped the players understand they did not need to conceal theirs.

“But showing them I was feeling hard, I had hard times, and I have no problem exposing myself to the pain; I have no problem showing my players my emotions,” he added.

Cardoso said mourning Adams in Austria ultimately strengthened the Sundowns squad. The club has since continued to honour their former player during its performances on the field.