Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos admits he’s delighted to see how returning midfielder Jayden Adams has matured and elevated his performances over the past 12 months at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Adams, 24, returns to the national team fold for the first time in a year, after losing his Bafana place due to alleged ill discipline, for missing the start of a national team camp and drop in form at club level.
However, since the return of club football after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations enforced mid-season break, Adams, who was omitted from the squad – has been in supreme form alongside Teboho Mokoena in the heart of the Masandawana midfield.
“I think Jayden is the same story as Rele and Mbokazi when you’re so young and suddenly you become a very good player, a star and there is so much interest in you, it’s difficult to manage that,” Broos said.
“And in a certain moment, Jayden lost himself also, the moment he went to Sundowns, I think he thought ‘ah things are done’, and time went on, he was not playing, he was on the bench and he was even on the stands at certain moments.
“He did what he did with the national team, when I was not happy with that, but he’s learnt a lot and he knows now, when you see him playing, he’s more mature and the qualities are still there. And this maturity is something he got in the last year.
“He was conscious for himself, he looked in the mirror and said ‘Jayden if you go on like this your career is finished, you will go to Marumo Gallants or whatever’ – because here in Sundowns, he will not succeed and I’m very happy about it. Everyone knows he’s a very good player and yeah I think he can help us a lot.”
Adams has earned three national team caps, scoring once, since his debut against Namibia at the 2023 Africa Cup Nations in Ivory Coast.
