Jayden Adams, South Africa World Cup midfielder, dies at 25

Jayden Adams dies at 25

Devastating news. South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams has died at the age of 25 (1) (2) (3). Adams played in all three of Bafana Bafana's World Cup group games just weeks ago, including the opener against Mexico (1). The news broke Saturday and has shaken South African football. Details around the circumstances remain limited. Adams was a key figure in the national team's historic run to the knockout stages.

Fan reactions

The shock is total. Fans on Reddit are struggling to process the loss of a player they watched represent South Africa on the world stage only weeks ago. One thread described the news as impossible to reconcile with the images of Adams in full flight at the tournament. Read the discussion on r/worldcup