Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango, who recently turned 41, has left the question of retirement hanging in the air as he prepares for what could be a defining night in his career, with the CAF Champions League final in Morocco looming large.
Onyango and club captain Themba Zwane are the only remaining two members from the history-making 2016 squad that won the Champions League.
Sundowns take on AS FAR Rabat in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah on Sunday. Kick off is 21H00 CAR on Sunday. They carry a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg played at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the showdown, the veteran goalkeeper reflected on the magnitude of the occasion and what lifting the continental trophy would mean for his team and legacy.
WHAT A SECOND STAR WOULD MEAN FOR DENIS ONYANGO?
“It will be incredible. Amazing because it’s a new trophy, but also a different generation of players. And of course, winning it in Morocco will be incredible because a lot of things have been happening in this country, the AFCON, the Under-17 [hosting the 2025 AFCON and 2026 U-17 AFCON]. So, for us to lift it and go back with it to South Africa will be massive for the team,” Onyango said.
With questions swirling about whether Sunday could mark the Ugandan international’s final appearance in professional football, Onyango was coy in his response. Asked directly if this would be his last outing, he responded with characteristic calm uncertainty.
“I don’t know. The legs are still saying come on. But that we will see. After lifting this trophy….you will ask me on Sunday after lifting this trophy,” he added.
Onyango remains one of the most decorated players in PSL history, boasting an incredible 12 league titles. The veteran goalkeeper has featured in over 280 matches for Sundowns, keeping more than 130 clean sheets along the way.
Although the Ugandan international now serves as the primary cover for Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams, he has still stepped up when called upon this season, registering two clean sheets in his four appearances.
Should Onyango continue to extend his playing career, he will be chasing down Andre Arendse, who holds the record as the oldest player to ever feature in the PSL. Arendse was just two months shy of his 46th birthday when he lined up for Bidvest Wits in May 2013.
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