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Tiyani Mabunda makes dramatic return to Sundowns as ambassador

Mahlatse Mphahlele Sports reporter
Tiyani Mabunda has taken up the new role of club ambassador at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Tiyani Mabunda has taken up the new role of club ambassador at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Image: ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Barely three days after he left Mamelodi Sundowns, Tiyani Mabunda has made a dramatic return to Chloorkop to take up a new role as club ambassador.

The 33-year-old Mabunda announced his emotional departure earlier in the week after spending eight highly successful seasons at the club where he won five league titles and the Caf Champions League, among others.

Mabunda has affectively called time on his successful career which flourished at Sundowns after he joined from Black Leopards in 2013. He went on to establish himself as one of the key players under former coach Pitso Mosimane.

“For me, to be the ambassador of Mamelodi Sundowns is a great honour because they have recognised my efforts and they have given me an opportunity to carry on with what has been initiated,” he said on Thursday afternoon. “It’s really important for me because of the responsibility that I have carried within the club and the influence that we have gained. For me it’s good to be part of the club once again, even though it is in a different role as club ambassador. It is really a great thing and I am really excited to achieve greater than what we have achieved.”

Mabunda, who was part of Bafana Bafana’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019, said part of his job will be working closely with supporters and welcoming new players to the club.

“It is never easy to come to this club, and mine is to assist the new guys who come in and those who need assistance to face the challenges they encounter. It will also be to make sure that the voice of the supporters is continuously heard as you have seen over the years that they have been vocal about themselves, and then being a part of Mamelodi Sundowns.

“I think this is a great opportunity to interlink both supporters and the players to become one big family and this is just a way to link both.”