Mamelodi Sundowns Lock Foreign Quota Again With Non African Recruits

Mamelodi Sundowns have once again sealed their foreign player quota with recruits from outside the African continent. This marks the second season in a row where the Chloorkop club have filled all available foreign slots without including an African based international.

This approach mirrors what happened last season. Sundowns completed the campaign with an all South American group of registered foreign players. It was a first in the club’s history and underlined a clear recruitment trend.

At the time, the list included Brazilians Arthur Sales and Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Argentines Matias Esquivel and Lucas Suarez, and Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende. Sales, Costa and Allende were registered from the start of the season. Esquivel returned from a loan spell at Club Atletico Talleres, while Suarez joined on loan from the same Argentine club.

Before Esquivel and Suarez arrived, Bolivian midfielder Erwin Saavedra occupied the fourth foreign slot. He was later deregistered as he moved closer to the exit door. That decision opened space for the two Argentines and completed the South American set.

As the 2026 season began, Sales and Allende remained at the club. They were later joined by Portuguese midfielders Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho. The final foreign spot has now been taken by Colombian forward Brayan Leon, pushing Sundowns back to the maximum of five registered foreigners.

This means Matias Esquivel currently sits outside the quota. His loan at Greek club AE Kifisia has ended after eight appearances, but he cannot be registered unless space opens up.

Sundowns have consistently leaned toward South American talent over the years. In the 2019/20 season, they also carried five players from the region. That group featured Ricardo Nascimento from Brazil, Jose Ali Meza from Venezuela, Emiliano Tade from Argentina, and Uruguayans Mauricio Affonso and Gaston Sirino.

However, the quota was not static throughout that campaign. Nascimento was not registered in the first half of the season, which allowed Ivorian defender Bangaly Soumahoro to take a place. In the second half, Tade departed and Affonso did not feature, leading to further adjustments.

Several other Latin American players have passed through Chloorkop in recent years. The list includes Leonardo Castro from Colombia, Bryan Aldave from Uruguay, Jorge Acuna from Chile, Vincente Principiano from Argentina, Eduardo Ferreira from Brazil, and Venezuelans Jose Torrealba and Rafael Dudamel.

It is also important to note that Denis Onyango, Divine Lunga and Peter Shalulile are no longer classified as foreigners. The Ugandan, Zimbabwean and Namibian internationals now count as local players under league regulations.

By locking their quota early again, Sundowns have shown a clear preference for overseas experience from Europe and South America. The strategy suggests continuity in recruitment and a firm belief in blending local depth with carefully selected international quality.