León Opens Up On Loss Of Adams: “The News Left Me Shell-Shocked”
Mamelodi Sundowns striker Brayan León has admitted he is still struggling to come to terms with the passing of teammate Jayden Adams, reflecting on the close bond they shared.
Tragedy struck shortly after Adams returned from representing Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The midfielder featured in three of four matches as South Africa made history by reaching the knockout stages for the first time.
The former Stellenbosch standout earned his national team recall following a stellar second half of the season with Sundowns, where he played a pivotal role in securing the CAF Champions League title against FAR Rabat.
Despite missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations squad in Morocco, Adams worked tirelessly during the mid-season break to regain his spot in the national setup.
“It was really tough, and it still is. We were due to travel to Austria that day, and everyone was in good spirits because the lads who’d been at the World Cup were joining up with the rest of the squad,” said Leon on the FIFA website.
“I arrived in a great mood, with my tunes on, but the news just left me shell-shocked. It makes your heart sink.
“He was someone I shared a lot of happy moments with, someone I laughed with, and someone I had such a close bond with.
“The coach told us that we had to use it to become a tighter-knit group and that it was meant to prepare us for what lay ahead.
“To bring us closer together and do everything in his honour. He was hugely important to the club and to us, and the first time I saw him play, I told the coach that he was a special player. It was incredibly sad.”
León spoke as African champions Sundowns prepare to host Asian champions Al Ahli SC in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup—a 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup quarter-final—at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
