That's where they belong

In the week leading up to the start of the FIFA Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns were growing their brand in New York, thanks to their former stars Hlompho Kekana, Tiyani Mabunda and Teko Modise. Club’s technical sponsor, Puma, together with Kid Super, designed Sundowns kits that were launched at an event in New York, along with the jerseys of Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, Palmeiras, RB Salzburg, Monterrey and Al Hilal. While they were there, the Sundowns legends also got to play in a mini four-a-side tournament, and they were quite popular with players from other teams wanting to know more about them. Soccer Laduma’s Tshepang Mailwane travelled to the Big Apple with Puma to speak to Kekana about the Club World Cup.

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Tshepang Mailwane: Hola Hlompho, thank you for your time. First things first, you are in the USA and your trip started with the Puma jersey launch in New York, where the new Mamelodi Sundowns jerseys were unveiled with six other clubs sponsored by the brand. What do you make of the Sundowns jerseys which will be used at the FIFA Club World Cup?

Hlompho Kekana: First, I must say we (together with Tiyani Mabunda and Teko Modise) are enjoying the trip so much and maybe it’s because we don’t have the pressure of playing in the tournament. It’s a beautiful jersey and it’s obviously a bit different to the normal Masandawana jersey. You need something to ignite the players, especially after a heavy season, and the new jersey does that. I love the green colour around the armpit area because it reminds me of the jersey we wore when we won the CAF Champions League. The blue jersey is also beautiful and it’s even something you can wear with chinos or jeans. We regard ourselves as a global brand and it’s great to have jerseys that you don’t normally see. That's where the world of football is going.

TM: You got to play in the Sundowns jersey in a mini tournament in Brooklyn, New York. What did it feel like playing in the new jersey?

HK: I love the texture. It’s very light and I like the fact that it does not hold sweat, which is very important because players love to feel light. I don’t think I would change the jersey at half-time because of how light it is. Playing in the tournament was great for us (as club legends). It felt like we were the influencers, and I think, based on that, our boys will need to perform and make sure that they deliver. Playing in the tournament means our players will be exposed to every team and scout that will be at the competition. I am looking at it as an opportunity for the boys to get teams overseas because it has been a long time since we exported a player from Sundowns overseas.