Bafana to brothers: Jayden Adams remembered by teammates
· The South African
Jayden Adams was fondly remembered by his Bafana Bafana teammates as he was laid to rest over the weekend.
Visit somethingsdifferent.biz for more information.
The 25-year-old’s funeral service took place in Stellenbosch
Attending were friends, family and dignitaries like the Minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie, Bafana coach Hugo Broos, SAFA President Danny Jordaan and CAF and Sundowns President Patrice Motsepe.
JAYDEN ADAMS REMEMBERED BY TEAM MATES
On Instagram, several Bafana Bafana players have paid tribute to Jayden Adams following his shock death, reportedly due to suicide, earlier this month.
The tragedy came just weeks after the national team returned from the FIFA World Cup, where they made it to the Round of 32.
Oswin Appollis, who spent time with Jayden in the US, after the tournament, posted clips of them dancing and spending quality time together.
“My brother”, he captioned the post.
Lyle Foster – whose own mental health struggles had made headlines – shared on his IG account: “I love you, my brother. Rest with God”.
Teboho Mokeoena also referred to Jayden Adams as his “brother”, as did Iqraam Rayners, who was one of the first friends to pay his respect.
He shared: “It doesn’t feel real, and I don’t know if it ever will. You weren’t just a friend—you were my brother, my blood, someone I could count on through the good times and the bad. We shared so many memories, so many laughs, and moments that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
“Your loyalty, your strength, and the way you looked out for the people you loved will never be forgotten.
My heart is broken knowing I won’t hear your voice, see your smile, or make more memories with you. But I’m grateful for every moment we had together. Thank you for being the brother you were to me. You left a mark on my life that nothing and no one can ever replace”
‘NOT ENOUGH HELP FOR ATHLETES’
Meanwhile, former Bafana Bafana star Brent Carelse has called on the national team to provide more mental health support for players.
“So many of them [athletes] struggle. Everybody just expects them to be at their best at all times, and sometimes that’s not the case
Carelse highlighted the case of Lyle Foster, who admitted to suffering from severe depression in 2023. Foster’s club, Burnley FC, provided him with professional support amid his health struggle.
Carelse added: “In that team environment, a lot of people don’t understand that we as footballers and sports people spend more time with our teammates than we do with our family.
“Not enough is being done to detect it at an early age as well, and also to help these athletes when they go through trauma and other things such as alcohol or drug abuse, or financially… There is not enough help for the athletes.”
