Thlopie Motsepe: Mamelodi Sundowns’ trophy victory helped club heal after Jayden Adams’ death

Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Thlopie Motsepe says the club’s FIFA Pacific-Asia-Africa Cup triumph provided a moment of healing after the death of midfielder Jayden Adams.

Adams died aged 25 in July, shortly after representing Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His death came after he had established himself as an important player for both Sundowns and the national team, leaving the club to mourn one of its own during a significant campaign.

Sundowns’ victory brought happiness to the club, but Motsepe said it also offered players, staff and supporters a chance to process their grief collectively. The coach dedicated the triumph to Adams.

“I think the emotion was… there were a few, there was joy, but the coach said it very powerfully when he dedicated the victory to Jayden Adams, because the loss of a player like Jayden, the loss of anyone,” Motsepe said.

“There’s no victory in the world that can replace that. But when you see the pain the players went through, when we heard about that news. There’s so many things that go through your mind as a leader of a club, when the people you care about, the people you are supposed to lead, go through an emotional trauma like that.”

Motsepe said the impact of Adams’ death extended across the organisation, affecting the players, coaching staff and supporters as they tried to continue competing.

“And you’re going through it, and your coach is also going through it. Your whole organisation are going through it, the supporters are going through it,” he added.

“And so, there was a lot of concern, will we get through this?”

The chairman pointed to the difficulties football clubs can face after losing a player, citing Liverpool’s experience following the death of Diogo Jota.

“Because you’ve seen in football, when Liverpool lost Diogo Jota, their season, they couldn’t move and find a way to galvanise themselves,” he explained.

Motsepe stressed that winning a trophy had not removed the pain of losing Adams.

“I’m not saying we’re out of the woods and the trophy makes it all better,” he said.

Instead, he described the achievement as a moment when the club’s sorrow and sporting success came together, allowing Sundowns to begin healing through football.

“But the moment when we did win that trophy, it was a special moment, it was the reward, the magic of sports, that allows you to have these moments, something comes full circle,” Motsepe continued.

“We are allowed to heal through that moment, and sport, and victory. That was the emotions, thinking about him.”

Adams’ memory has remained closely linked to Sundowns’ achievements, with players and coaches repeatedly dedicating performances and trophies to the late midfielder. Motsepe’s comments highlighted both the comfort sport can provide and the fact that no victory can replace the person the club lost.