The welcome the Springboks received at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday morning took Wayne Arendse back to 2016, when Mamelodi Sundowns were welcomed by a whole host of supporters after winning the CAF Champions League.
The former Sundowns defender spoke to Soccer Laduma about his journey with Masandawana, which saw him winning the Champions League, as well as playing in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The years
I was there from 2012 to 2020/21. I think any player who plays for a top club, especially one that was winning trophies, knows that it's a privilege. The trophies came in and we got opportunities to win the CAF Champions League and play in the Club World Cup, so those memories will always stay with me. It was an unbelievable experience at Sundowns and it all boils down to the achievements and the medals because that's what footballers want. Luckily, I achieved that and I am forever grateful to Sundowns.
How the move happened
We got relegated while I was at Santos and Sundowns were interested in me and Eleazar Rodgers. Obviously I still wanted to play in the top flight, so it was a no-brainer. We knew the challenges would come because, at the time, there was this thing of the Cape Town players not being able to survive in Gauteng and all that. I just took the opportunity and accepted the challenge. It paid off at the end of the day. Everything was not smooth sailing, but I knew I had to graft because of the quality in the team. I never looked back.
My first day at Sundowns
I remember the team was away in Nelspruit and we drove there. When we got there, there were guys like Teko (Modise), Surprise (Moriri) and the other senior players came to greet us. It was nice because these were people I would see in Bafana Bafana and now I was sitting in the same dressing room as them as my teammates. It was good. They made us feel welcomed and I knew that it was time to start working even harder. I knew that I could not slack at a team like Sundowns. I am still in contact with some of the guys and we get along.
My debut
I can't remember who it was against, but I know I came on as a substitute. At that time, the going was a bit tough at Sundowns because these were not going well for us in terms of results. (Johan) Neeskens was the coach back then. We had very good players, but it was just not happening for the club.
The best player I played with at Sundowns
It's difficult to single out just one player. There are quite a few. You had Surprise in midfield, as well as Teko. There was Alje Schut. He was not the fastest, but he could read the game. Esrom (Nyandoro) was there. There was a lot of good players, so I can't single out one.
Most memorable moment
Funny you say memorable moment. I watched the Springboks land at OR Tambo this morning and it took me back to when we won the Champions League. We came through customs with the Champions League trophy, the same way the Springboks did. It took me back. When we won the Champions League, the airport was full. We had the minister of sports there and we had the press conference outside. It was big and flashbacks just came. That was also a moment where we saw that we did something for this country and we put Sundowns on the map. That's a moment that stands out in my career. Going to the Club World Cup was also special.
Lowest moment
I really wanted to win the MTN8, but we lost in the final (against Bidvest Wits). That's one final I did not get to win, but I am still happy with what we achieved while I was there.
