Massively versed Ugandan goalkeeper Dennis Masinde Onyango has backtracked on his initial plans to retire from active football, and will sign a contract extension with South African and continental powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns, The Nerve Africa has exclusively learned.
The 39-year-old had intended to hang his boots at the end of the recently concluded season (2023/24), with plans of joining the club’s coaching staff. However, he has decided to stay for an additional season with Masandawana, which will make it 12 years of diligent service.
“Yes, the club and I have agreed that it’s in the best interests to renew my contract. I will stay for one more year, and see what happens after that. Sundowns is family, I am happy, so it’s a decision that wasn’t hard to make when they asked me to stay,” the celebrated custodian exclusively revealed to The Nerve Africa in an interview.
However, while he will stay with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions, Onyango is well aware that he will keep playing second fiddle to South Africa’s (Bafana Bafana) goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams. The latter, who arrived in 2022, limited the Ugandan to just nine appearances last season.
Meanwhile, Onyango’s spell at Mamelodi Sundowns since 2011 has been a make of triumphs, as he has since become the most decorated player in the South African league history. Onyango has won 11 Premier Soccer League (PSL) titles, with eight coming as a Mamelodi Sundowns player.
Other triumphs include:
– Three Nedbank Cups;
– Two Telkom Knockouts;
– One CAF Champions League;
– One CAF Super Cup;
– One Africa Football League title;
– One MTN8.
He is also a previous winner of the African Player of the Year based in Africa for 2016, a gong he collected after his pivotal role in Sundowns’ historical CAF Champions League glory. He was also named in the CAF Team of the Year in 2016 and 2018.
With the Uganda National Senior team, the Cranes, Onyango retired in 2021, after earning 82 competitive caps, and captaining the team to the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He is regarded as one of the biggest sports personalities ever in Uganda.
