Kekana explains his love affair with Sundowns’ No 8 jersey

The number on a player’s back may just be a formality for some. For others it means a whole lot more. Numbers on jerseys go all the way back to 1911 and to this day they’re an important part of a player’s kit.

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Some squad numbers carry sentimental value for players, supporters and clubs, and as such, some squad numbers get retired in honour of a club legend or for one reason or another. For example, since Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola left the club in 2003, the club have not reallocated the number 25.

In the same year, Orlando Pirates retired the number 22 jersey after striker Lesley Manyathela died in a car accident, while Senzo Meyiwa’s number 1 was posthumously removed from the lot after he was murdered eight years ago.

The Buccaneers have also retired the number 10 jersey in honour of the “Black Prince”, Jomo Sono, but it was briefly reintroduced and allocated to Steve Lekolela. However, it was removed shortly after and the only time the number made famous by Sono appears nowadays is in Caf competitions as squad numbers are from 1 to 30.

Pirates rivals, Kaizer Chiefs, also have a couple of numbers that are in the chairman’s office — such as the No 15 made famous by Doctor Khumalo. The squad number was retired after “16v” hung up his boots in 2004.

Meanwhile, Howard Freese’s No 20 has also been removed from the locker room in honour of Freese’s contribution to the club.

In England, Manchester City have barred anybody from using number 23 in honour of Cameroonian Marc-Vivien Foé, who died on the pitch. The Cameroonian was on loan from French side Lyon in 2003.

Meanwhile, Sundowns have not officially retired their No 2, but since the untimely passing of Motjeka Madisha, no one has used the squad number.

Hlompho Kekana will go down as one of Sundowns’ best captains, if not the greatest, given the amount of success he has enjoyed with the club, and Downs could have easily retired his squad number.

However, that has not really been a part of the tradition of the club as legendary players like Daniel “Mambush” Mudau’s number 13 has been used by Benedict Vilakazi, Devine Lunga, Lungisani Ndlela and most recently Tiyani Mabunda, who is dubbed “the 13th man” at Sundowns.

The former Downs skipper has handed over his No 8 to Bongani “Sjumba” Zungu, who made his second Sundowns debut on the same day Kekana received an official farewell at Loftus and he revealed that he had a heart to heart chat with Zungu.

“I had a chat with him and I said, ‘look after that jersey because it is important to me’,” said Kekana, who inherited the number eight from Teko Modise about a decade ago. Before “The General”, Matthew Booth and Lerato Chabangu had their turn with the squad number.

“I have so many significant things that I have attached the number to. I have eight league titles that I have tattooed on my leg, my size eight boot is the shoe that I used to score those crazy goals so you can understand how important the number is to me,” said Kekana.

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Zungu previously wore number 34 in his first stint with Downs and upon his return, much is expected from the former Amiens player.

“He has to create his own legacy. I got it from whoever was wearing it and I am sure he has beautiful memories with it,” said Kekana.

“I have my own memories and there is a villager, who comes from the same village as me, Alex Bapela… he tells me that the level that I achieved when I put that jersey on is quite crazy because he never thought anybody would ever reach that level.

“I am quite honoured to hear such words coming from Bapela.

“I just want to wish ‘Sjumba’ well,” he concluded.