Compiled by Dylan Bettencourt
- Fawaaz Basadien played only 11 times last season after joining Sundowns but has already made eight appearances this campaign.
- His improved form has earned him a Bafana return and helped Sundowns win the African-Asian-Pacific Cup.
Fawaaz Basadien says patience, family and faith helped him fight through a difficult start at Mamelodi Sundowns.
The left-back made only 11 appearances in Sundowns’ 50 matches last season after joining from Stellenbosch FC.
He completed the full 90 minutes only twice.
That was a huge change for Basadien, who had played 46 of Stellenbosch’s 52 matches the season before.
The lack of game time also hurt his Bafana Bafana career.
Basadien missed the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 Fifa World Cup as Aubrey Modiba and other players moved ahead of him.
But the 29-year-old refused to give up.
“For me, it was just to keep believing and working hard because things will turn around,” Basadien said, News24 reported.
His patience is now paying off.
Basadien has already made eight appearances this season and came off the bench as Sundowns beat Al-Ahli Saudi 2-1 to win the Fifa African-Asian-Pacific Cup.
He dedicated the medal to late teammate Jayden Adams.
“I told them that this one is for Jayden because we knew that Jayden is someone who loved to win things,” Basadien said.
The victory also moved Sundowns into the next stage of the Intercontinental Cup.
Basadien has now received another reward for his improved form.
New Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane named him in his first 30-man squad.
“I was very happy when I saw my name there,” Basadien said. “The last few call-ups haven’t gone my way, but I knew that I just had to prove that I belong there.”
Bafana face Guinea at Orlando Stadium before playing Eritrea in Egypt and then meeting Egypt in a friendly.
For Basadien, the fight for his place continues.
“Everything I do, I do for my family, my wife and my son,” he said.
Pictured above: Fawaaz Basadien.
Image source: Fawaaz Basadien/Instagram
