Club World Cup keeps Onyango dreaming
Mamelodi Sundowns legends Denis Onyango (L) and Hlompho Kekana with the new Fifa Club World Cup Trophy in Pretoria, South Africa. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
Pretty Special. At the age of 40, most Ugandan footballers are retired and not competing at the professional level outside Uganda. However, as Alex Warren's trending song Ordinary goes, something is out of the ordinary for Denis Onyango. The former Uganda Cranes captain celebrates 40 years of today while still playing a crucial role at Mamelodi Sundowns and a second bite at the Fifa Club World Cup cherry awaits him next month in the USA.
By 35, very few players, especially from Uganda, can still hold or command places at professional football abroad.
And if there’s a benchmark for the next generation of footballers from here, that will be Denis Onyango. He today marks 40 while plying his trade at South African club Mamelodi Sundowns.
It’s not a mean feat for the former Uganda Cranes’ captain. “Turning 40 and still playing continental and global club football for me is amazing,” Onyango told this paper in a chat.
“And at the same time exciting because it’s not an easy task especially in Africa to play at the highest level at my age. But of course, I don’t play regularly but I have been making the 20-man squad all the time, but what is more interesting and courageous for me is that the club believes in me every time I am called to play when Ronwen Williams is not available.”
Certainly, Onyango is no longer Sundowns’ first-choice but he’s been a key player in Sundowns’ chapter this term, raking up 10 outings in the South African Premiership.
Last evening, league leaders Sundowns walked onto the Buffalo City Stadium pitch to face Chippa United while they held a 12-point lead over second-placed Orlando Pirates.
Onyango has been a pillar in the road to Sundowns’ record 15th league title in waiting. He has kept three clean sheets in his last three league outings and six overall.
“I have to perform regardless of me being 40 but the club has also looked after my condition especially with my weight and diet so that keeps me in shape to compete,” said the man who was a key player in Uganda’s return to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) stage in 2017 and 2019.
Surely, Onyango is counting a place on the plane to the USA for the new-look Fifa Club World Cup where Sundowns will be among the four African clubs representing the continent.
This will be his second appearance at the grand stage of club football after 2016. No other Ugandan has played at this tournament.
“And also having self-discipline, to know that I have to rest and not eat everything that’s not good for me but as I said it feels incredibly good to be able to play at this age at the highest level of club football,” said the man with the most South African league titles - 11.
“I also have to thank Sundowns for keeping me and having faith in me for all these years I have been at the club but all in all the dream has been fulfilled and I am grateful for the opportunity,” he added.
African champions Sundowns will be up against Ulsan from South Korea and they have dates against Brazilian side Fluminense and German’s heavyweights Borussia Dortmund in Group F.
Should Onyango and Sundowns advance among the top two from Group F, his fairytale story has contests against either of Group E’s River Plate from Argentina, Uefa Champions League finalists Inter Milan from Italy, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds or Mexico’s Monterrey.
The Fifa Club World Cup’s prize money has been raised by Fifa with $50 million (Shs184 billion) set as a team’s participation reward.
ONYANGO AT A GLANCE
Full name: Denis Onyango
Date of birth: May 15
Height: 1.88 m (6ft 2in)
Playing position: Goalkeeper
Jersey number: 1
CLUB ROUTE
FIRST CLUBS: Sharing, Nsambya
2004-2005: SC Villa (Uganda)
2005-2006: St. George (Ethiopia)
2006-2010: Supersport United (S. Africa)
2010-2011: Mpumalanga Black Aces (S. Africa)
2011-: Mamelodi Sundowns (S. Africa)
ONYANGO’S ROLL OF HONOUR
Super Sport United
Premier Soccer League (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10)
Mamelodi Sundowns
Premier Soccer League (2015-16, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24)
Nedbank Cup (2014-15, 2019-20, 2021-22)
Telkom Knockout: 2015, 2019
CAF Champions League: 2016, 2025
African Football League (2023)
CAF Super Cup (2017)
CAF Super Cup: 2017
MTN 8 (2021)
2016 African-based African Player of the year: 2016
CAF Team of the Year: 2016, 2018
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 2025
IMPROVED PRIZE MONEY
Total prize money: $2.65 billion (Shs9.8 trillion)
Champions: $100 million (Shs368 million)
Participation reward: $50 million (Shs184 billion)
PRIZE MONEY IN 2023
Total prize money: $16 million (Shs59 billion)
Champions: $5 million (Shs18 billion)
Sixth: $1 million (Shs3.7 billion)
Last: $0.5 million (Shs1.8 billion)
