Jayden Adams, a South African midfielder who played at the World Cup, died this month aged 25, prompting tributes from his community in the Western Cape that describe a quiet, humble player for whom football offered an escape from difficult surroundings. Friends, family and coaches gathered at his memorial in Stellenbosch and funeral in Cape Town, painting a picture of a shy, hard-working man whose talent was often overlooked because of his small stature, but whose determination earned him respect on the pitch.

Adams grew up in Stellenbosch's working-class suburbs, areas of poverty and social neglect that stand in contrast to the town's affluent, tourist-friendly centre, a legacy of apartheid-era inequality. His junior coach Steve Barker called football his "safe space", while family members recalled his early love of the game, kicking anything round from onions to potatoes as a child. He later moved to the slightly better-off area of Ida's Valley, though his family of six still lived modestly, and his funeral saw him carried by members of Mamelodi Sundowns, the club he played for.