Midfielder Jayden Adams, who played for South Africa in three matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, was found dead on Saturday, July 11, in a house in a Cape Town suburb, AFP reports, citing police. The country's football association confirmed the death of the 25-year-old player, but did not disclose the cause.
Adams played twice for his national team in the group stage of the tournament – in games against Mexico and the Czech Republic, and also came on as a substitute in the match with South Korea. The South African team advanced to the 1/16 finals, where they lost to Canada with a score of 0:1. Adams did not take part in this match.
As ESPN notes, citing South African Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, Adams' grandmother Marianne died on the eve of the match with the Czech Republic.
“When I reached out to Jayden to offer my condolences and support, I received a humble and grateful response that I will remember forever. The fact that he decided to put on the national team jersey and give his all for the country in this situation speaks volumes about the caliber of young man South Africa has lost,” McKenzie said.
The police emphasized that an investigation into Adams' death is open, but also did not specify its possible causes. In club football, the player played for the Mamelodi Sundowns team from the South African city of Pretoria.
