Top 5: Mamelodi Sundowns’ greatest & worst Nigerian signings of all time

Mamelodi Sundowns have built one of the greatest football dynasties on the African continent, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Pretoria-based club, known as “The Brazilians” or “Masandawana,” have dominated South African football for decades and regularly challenged the continent’s biggest clubs in the CAF Champions League.

Since the Premier Soccer League (PSL) era began in 1996, Sundowns have won a record number of league titles, including an incredible run of seven consecutive championships between the 2017/18 and 2023/24 seasons. Their trophy cabinet also includes several Nedbank Cups, MTN8 titles and Telkom Knockout crowns.

Their success has stretched beyond South Africa. Under Pitso Mosimane, Sundowns won their first CAF Champions League title in 2016 before adding the CAF Super Cup in 2017. They later became the first-ever African Football League (AFL) champions in 2023 and have represented Africa at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Over the years, several Nigerian players have worn the famous yellow shirt. Some became club legends and helped shape one of the greatest eras in Sundowns’ history, while others struggled with injuries, registration problems or simply failed to live up to expectations.

Here are the five Nigerian signings who left the biggest mark, both for the right and wrong reasons.

Mamelodi Sundown’s forgettable Nigerian signings

2. Ejike Uzoenyi – CHAN MVP whose dream move never worked out

Few Nigerian transfers to Sundowns generated as much excitement as Ejike Uzoenyi’s arrival in 2014.

The winger had just been named the Most Valuable Player at the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN), where he scored four goals to inspire Nigeria. Shortly afterwards, Sundowns handed him a four-year contract.

However, several setbacks prevented him from making an impact.

After being loaned back to Enugu Rangers and representing Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, work permit delays slowed his arrival in Pretoria. Once available, injuries repeatedly disrupted his progress.

Uzoenyi made his league debut on August 31, 2014, replacing Surprise Moriri in the 75th minute of a 2-0 win over AmaZulu. He earned his first start against Bidvest Wits in October before featuring in the Telkom Knockout defeat to Platinum Stars.

Those appearances turned out to be among the few highlights of his Sundowns career.

Persistent injuries, combined with the club’s limited foreign-player registration slots, meant he was left out of the squad for the 2015/16 PSL season. Despite being part of a successful period that included league triumphs, he rarely featured on the pitch.

In January 2017, both parties agreed to terminate his contract, and Uzoenyi later joined Bidvest Wits in search of regular football.

1. Gbolahan Salami – The expensive signing who never played

Gbolahan Salami’s transfer to Sundowns in 2011 remains one of the strangest stories involving a Nigerian player at the club. The striker arrived from Shooting Stars after Sundowns paid around R2.5 million and offered him a three-year contract. Supporters expected him to strengthen the attack ahead of the new PSL season.

Instead, he never played a single competitive match. New coach Johan Neeskens decided to register Zimbabwean striker Simba Sithole instead, leaving Salami outside the club’s foreign-player quota. Although early reports suggested work permit issues were responsible, later accounts indicated the registration decision was the main reason.

Without a place in the official squad, Salami was loaned to Maritzburg United, where he also failed to establish himself. Frustrated by the situation, he returned to Sundowns seeking a solution. By September 2011, less than three months after signing, his contract had already been terminated.

Despite the sizeable transfer fee and expectations surrounding his arrival, Salami’s time at Sundowns ended without making a single official appearance, making him one of the club’s biggest transfer disappointments.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ finest Nigerian signings

3. Teslim Fatusi – Olympic hero who played a supporting role

Teslim Fatusi arrived at Mamelodi Sundowns in July 1998 after already becoming a household name in Nigeria. He was part of the famous Nigerian team that stunned the football world by winning Olympic gold at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Expectations were naturally high when he joined the PSL giants, but his spell at Sundowns never truly took off. Across the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons, Fatusi made just seven league appearances and scored once. He found it difficult to break into a midfield packed with experienced stars during one of the strongest squads in South African football.

Although his individual numbers were modest, he was still part of a historic period for Sundowns. The club won back-to-back PSL titles while Fatusi remained an important squad player as they continued their domestic dominance. His stay ended in June 2000 before he moved to Belgian side KSV Roeselare, continuing a career that took him across several countries.

2. Muisi Ajao – “The Beast” who anchored a golden generation

Muisi Ajao remains one of the finest Nigerian defenders ever to play in South Africa. Nicknamed “The Beast” and “Robocop” because of his aggressive defending and physical strength, Ajao joined Sundowns from rivals Kaizer Chiefs in 1998 and immediately became one of the club’s defensive leaders.

During four successful seasons, he made 89 league appearances and scored twice. His arrival coincided with one of Sundowns’ most dominant periods. The club won consecutive PSL titles in 1998/99 and 1999/2000, while also lifting the Rothmans Cup.

Ajao’s influence was not limited to domestic football. In 2001, he helped Sundowns reach the CAF Champions League final, where they finished runners-up to Egyptian giants Al Ahly after an impressive continental campaign. His leadership, consistency and ability to stop some of Africa’s best attackers made him one of the club’s most respected foreign signings.

1. Raphael Chukwu – The Nigerian striker who became a Sundowns legend

No Nigerian has enjoyed a bigger impact at Mamelodi Sundowns than Raphael Chukwu. The powerful striker joined from Shooting Stars in 1996 and quickly became one of the most feared forwards in South African football. Fans nicknamed him the “Chukwu Train” because of his strength, intelligent movement and ability to overpower defenders.

His partnership with Daniel “Mambush” Mudau became one of the deadliest strike combinations in the PSL. Across multiple spells with Sundowns between 1996 and 2004, Chukwu scored more than 60 goals and established himself among the club’s greatest foreign players.

He played a huge role in Sundowns’ domestic dominance, helping the team win multiple PSL titles, including the memorable 1997/98 league triumph and domestic double. His outstanding 1997/98 campaign, in which he scored 14 league goals, earned him both the PSL Footballer of the Year and Players’ Player of the Season awards.

Chukwu also became famous for his performances against Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, regularly tormenting the Soweto giants with his physical presence and clinical finishing. One of his most memorable moments came when he left legendary goalkeeper Brian Baloyi stranded during a famous Rothmans Cup clash.

His performances at Sundowns earned him a move to Italian club Bari and helped secure his place in Nigeria’s squad for the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles reached the final. Nearly three decades after arriving in Pretoria, Raphael Chukwu is still remembered as the greatest Nigerian footballer to wear the famous yellow shirt of Mamelodi Sundowns.