Former Mamelodi Sundowns stars Teko Modise, Hlompho Kekana, and Tiyani Mabunda have shared their memories of working with Dutch football legend Johan Neeskens, who coached the South African giants.

Neeskens, who was the head coach of Sundowns between July 2011 and December 2012, passed away on Monday.  

He led Sundowns to the historic win, 24-0, over Powerlines in the first round of the Nedbank Cup in the 2011/12 season and Kekana scored seven goals in that game, netting his first in the eighth minute.  

The late Richards Hanyekane scored five, Nyasha Mushekwi scored six, Samuel Julies scored two, Elias Pelembe scored two, and Lebogang Mokoena also scored twice, to register the biggest score line in PSL history in the cup competition. 

Unfortunately, Sundowns lost in the final of that competition to city rivals SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium.   

“I remember he was a really funny guy,” said Kekana on Sundowns Pitchside podcast, as he was signed by the Dutchman from Bloemfontein Celtic ahead of the 2011/12 season. 

“I remember when he first saw me with Surprise Moriri and he said, ‘If I didn’t see you guys play, I wasn’t going to sign you because of the walks (kiss knees),’” with Kekana leaving Modise and Mabunda laughing in the background.  

Modise joined Sundowns in the second half of the 2010/11 season and was given jersey number 10 by Neeskens after he fell out of favor with Ruud Krol, another Dutch coach, with Orlando Pirates. 

“The first thing he said to me was ‘What was your relationship like with Krol?” Modise recalled.  

“Then we ironed that out and he made me the captain and he gave me jersey number 10 at that time. We started being close, trying to understand the culture of South African players, South African style of play, things that he wanted to implement, his ideology to the game.”  

Mabunda, who did not work with Neeskens as he arrived in the 2013/14 season from Black Leopards after the Dutchman was sacked, added: “He introduced those young players like Julies. He had so much confidence in Themba Zwane (who was given his debut by Neeskens).  

“Having confidence in the young players gave hope even for us when we were watching to say ‘our peers are making it at Sundowns’.  

“He is the reason why I started seeing myself as a Sundowns player when I saw the younger ones being given the chance to play.”  

Neeskens was fired by Sundowns after they lost the Carling Knockout Cup to Bloemfontein Celtic at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the 2012/13 season.  

As a player, Neeskens was a key figure in the “total football” revolution at Ajax and the Netherlands national team in the 1970s, alongside former Orlando Pirates coach Rudi Krol. 

The KNVB federation described Neeskens as a legend in Dutch and international football. He earned 49 caps for the Netherlands and played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals. 

At Ajax, Neeskens won three European Cups and two domestic league titles. He also spent five seasons at Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners’ Cup. 

The KNVB praised Neeskens for his contributions to European football and the Dutch national team. His tackles, insights, and iconic penalties made him one of the most prominent and beloved players in Dutch football history. 

After retiring as a player in 1991, Neeskens coached several clubs and served as an assistant coach with the Dutch national team from 1995 to 2000.