Mark Anderson
‘Lesilo Rula’, as fans called him, was born in Pretoria in 1962, and joined Sundowns in 1986 from Pretoria Callies, having begun his career with Arcadia.
In 1986 he helped Sundowns win the Mainstay Cup, beating Jomo Cosmos in the Final, and won Footballer of the Year.
After helping Sundowns win the League in 1993, he retired prematurely in 1994 and bounced back a year later in 1995.
He retired for the final time in 1998 and joined Ajax Cape Town as goalkeeper coach, but left in 2002 to focus on his plumbing company. He later joined Old Mutual FC where he works with George Dearnaley and Gerald Stober.
Nelson Bandura
The Zimbabwe-born goalkeeper only played three matches when Sundowns won the League in 1993, spending most of the season as an understudy to first choice Anderson.
His best match of the season was the last, when he kept a clean sheet in a 4-0 win over Witbank Aces at HM Pitje Stadium.
He left Sundowns in 2000 and later resurfaced at Wits University.
Sizwe Motaung
The former Bafana Bafana right-back passed away in August 2001 after a glittering career, which started at Jomo Cosmos and took in Mamelodi Sundowns, St Gallen in Switzerland and Teneriffe in the Spanish La Liga.
Motaung was born in Newcastle and began his football with one of the famous local sides, Chippas Dynamos, before joining Leeds United.
In March 1989 he made his professional debut for Durban side Leeds United against Vaal Reef Stars.
Motaung joined Sundowns in 1993, the season they won the League, and during that campaign he was a key figure in Jeff Butler’s team, playing 35 matches.
After returning from Europe in 1997, he joined Kaizer Chiefs and later Orlando Pirates and AmaZulu before retiring.
Alexander Maseko
Known as the ‘Cool Ruler’ because of his ability to marshal the defence, Alexander Maseko was one of the most reliable Sundowns players in that season.
The former Zimbabwe Highlanders defender later worked for a Vodashop in Fourways and this year he established a company named Focus Sports Management.
Joas Magolego
When Sundowns won the League in 1993, ‘Hluphi’ had already established himself in the team, having made his debut in July 1991 against QwaQwa Stars.
The 1993 season is also the season when the then 22-year-old made his international debut for Bafana Bafana against Zambia.
The defender was a key figure when Sundowns won three League titles between 1997 and 2000 and also won the Bob Save Super Bowl and Rothmans Cup.
After leaving Sundowns in 2002, Magolego joined Spartak in the First Division and Hellenic the same season where he played until he retired in 2004.
Robert Kalaka
The young defender only managed four appearances when Sundowns won the League in 1993.
Born and brought up in Orlando, Kalaka signed for Sundowns after impressing in a Second Division match for De Beers against Boksburg United.
The defender was eventually signed on the eve of the 1992 Castle Challenge Final, where Sundowns lost 2-1 to Orlando Pirates, and sat on the bench that day.
Lucky Molefe
‘Nansi Oshkosh’ is what TV commentators used to say every time Lucky Molefe had the ball at his feet.
The veteran defender was one of the major signings brought to the club by Zola Mahobe.
Molefe made his name as a right-back at Jomo Cosmos and formed a formidable partnership with Bricks Modau at the heart of the Sundowns defence. With Modau joining Chiefs, Molefe formed a new partnership with Magolego.
Sam Kambule
The great ‘Eewie’ Kambule passed away in 2006. Like Anderson, he also joined Sundowns in 1986 from Pretoria Callies.
In 1992 he featured in Bafana Bafana’s first international match against Cameroon and while Doctor Khumalo is credited for scoring Bafana Bafana’s first goal it was Kambule who scored the first goal in an official match when he did so against Zimbabwe.
In 1993 he won the League with Sundowns, and retired a year later, after which he was briefly assistant coach at Sundowns.
He then took up a full time post with correctional services, and also later coached at lower division clubs Ledwaba Power Stars, Mabopane Young Masters and Alexandra United.
Gregor Wille
Previously of Grinaker Rangers and Moroka Swallows, Wille was a key figure in Downs’ title-winning midfield of 1993.
Stereotyped as ‘a typical white midfielder’ – hard and defence-oriented – Wille was actually quite good on the ball and delivered some excellent passes. Ultimately, Stan ‘Screamer’ Tshabalala would not have signed him if he was not comfortable on the ball!
He was called up for Bafana in 1993, but did not play.
Harris Chueu
When Witbank Aces reached the 1983 Mainstay Cup Final, Harris ‘TV4’ Chueu was one of the key players in the team. TV4 later teamed up with Harold Legodi at Aces, and during the late 1980s he was at the prime of his career.
When he helped Sundowns win the League in 1993, he was already a veteran. After retiring, TV4 coached the national Under-20 side and is now working for Sundowns as an analyst.
Joel Masilela
Joel ‘Fire’ Masilela was encouraged by his father John, who played as a defender for Silverton Engineering in a local industrial league, and started playing in Mamelodi for Botlhabatsatsa Lower Primary School.
But it was not until 1985 when the speedy winger’s talent was recognised, when he captained Ga-Melodi High School to glory in a school tournament staged by the Central Development Board at Rietgat, outside Pretoria.
In 1989 he signed with The Brazilians and made his debut in 1991; by 1993 he was already a seasoned campaigner.
Fire remained with Sundowns until 2002 when he joined Pietersburg Pillars.
Richard Thwala
‘Cash’ Thwala made a name for himself in the colours of Dangerous Darkies, playing alongside the likes of David Nyathi.
But after joining the star-studded Sundowns team the gangly midfielder struggled to hold down a regular place. When Sundowns won the League, he made seven appearances.
Isaac Shai
At the age of 22, Isaac Shai was coming through the Sundowns ranks and won the League in his first season.
After winning the League in 1993, the left footed utility player was at Sundowns during its most difficult period, between 1994 and 1997, when they were coached by Clemence Westerhof, Reinhard Fabisch, Johny Ferreira and Screamer Tshabalala.
When Ted Dumitru took over, Shai made more substitute appearances, but his best season came under Paul Dolezar in 1999/00, when he played 47 matches and scored 19 goals.
These days the 42-year-old works for Sundowns as a youth development coach. His son, Siyabulela Shai, plays for Chippa United in the First Division, on loan from Sundowns.
Chancey Gondwe
The former Malawian international signed for Sundowns from Bata Bullets in Malawi and was an instant hit with the fans.
A holding midfielder who was able to break down the opposition and initiate attacks, Gondwe later formed formidable partnership with Linda Buthelezi and spent the last years of his career at Wits University.
Ernest Chirwali
Most fans remember Mtawali in green and white colours of Bloemfontein Celtic, but in fact the midfielder joined Welkom Real Hearts in 1983 and only moved to Celtic after seven matches.
In 1985, Phunya Sele Sele won their first major trophy when they clinched the Mainstay Cup, and Mtawali moved to Sundowns in 1989.
He was instrumental when the Brazilians won the League in 1993. The midfielder later left Sundowns and had spells in Argentina with Newell’s Old Boys, Toulouse in France before coming back to play for Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town.
Harold Legodi
Harold ‘Jazzy Queen’ Legodi was a very skilful winger whose distribution was excellent.
Formerly of Witbank Black Aces and Durban Bush Bucks, he played a big role in Sundowns’ success between 1987 and 1992, but in ’93 he was restricted to a handful of matches.
He played five times for South Africa after readmission to Fifa in 1992, scoring an 87th minute winner away to Congo in January 1993 after coming off the bench.
Martin Zwane
Zwane, who passed away in July 2010, joined Sundowns in 1993 from Wits University, although in that season he only managed to play three matches – a 2-1 win over D’Alberton Callies where he scored, a 2-2 draw against Umtata Bucks and the last match of the season against Witbank Aces.
Zwane joined Kaizer Chiefs in 1997 and will be forever remembered for the 1997 Rothmans Cup Final against Sundowns.
Chiefs coach Paul Dolezar introduced Zwane as a substitute for Mark Batchelor and, after just a few minutes, replaced him again with Thembinkosi Biyela.
Bennett Masinga
The 33 goals scored by Bennett Masinga for Sundowns in 1990 is still the most goals scored by a Sundowns player in a single season.
In 1993, ‘Benito’ was a veteran striker and had to compete his cousin Phil and new kid on the block Daniel Mudau for a place in the starting line-up.
After a successful spell with Sundowns, Masinga moved to Cape Town in 1996 where he joined First Division side Seven Stars and helped the team win promotion to the top flight.
In 1999 he was among a few Seven Stars players who were part of Ajax Cape Town during the club’s formation. In 1999 he joined Santos and was loaned to the struggling Hellenic before moving to Blomfontein Celtic after they were relegated from the Premiership.
Philemon Masinga
Having begun his professional career with Jomo Cosmos in 1988, ‘Chippa’ Masinga moved to Mamelodi Sundowns in 1992 and only scored a disappointing three goals.
But in the 1993 season under Jeff Butler things changed for the better and he netted 14 goals.
Masinga’s partnership with Daniel Mudau gave NSL defenders sleepless night as the two finished the season with a combined total of 40 goals. The following year, the lanky striker joined English Premiership side Leeds United and went on to play for St Gallen in Switzerland, Salernitana and Bari in Italy before calling it a day at Al Wehda in UAE.
Daniel Mudau
‘Mambush’ began his career with Mamelodi Sundowns, but in 1992 he was sent to Ratanang Moholosiane on loan.
Ratanang were bought by Chatsworth Rangers and relegated in 1992, and in 1993 Mudau returned a different player.
The striker opened the season with a brace at home to Moroka Swallows and finished with 22 League goals – and four in the cup.
Mudau stayed with Sundowns until he retired, winning three more League titles, a Bob Save Super Bowl and the Rothmans Cup.
Cedric Nakhumwa
The former Malawian international joined Sundowns with huge expectations but as it turned out he flattered to deceive.
With Daniel Mudau, Phil and Bennett Masinga on top of their game, Nakhumwa struggled to get into the starting line-up.
He later had a spell with Dynamos, which was marred by injury problems.