Orlando Pirates F.C.

Orlando Pirates is one of South Africa's oldest football clubs having been established in 1937 in Orlando East, Soweto.^[3][9]

The founders of Orlando Pirates included the offspring of migrant workers who moved from rural areas to work in the gold mines of Gauteng. Boys in Orlando came together at every available opportunity in open spaces and in informal groupings to play football. The original club was formed in 1934 by a group of teenagers at the Orlando Boys Club.^[4] Andries Mkhwanazi, popularly known as "Pele Pele", was a boxing instructor at the Orlando Boys Club when he encouraged formation of a football club in 1937 and a year later those teenagers were competing among the minors of the Johannesburg Bantu Football Association barefoot and without a team kit.^[4]

In 1940, Bethuel Mokgosinyane, the first president, bought the first team kit with his own funds. Orlando Boys participated in Johannesburg Bantu Football Association's Saturday League, where they won the Division Two title and gained promotion to Division One in 1944.^[3] Andrew Bassie, a key member of the team, suggested the new name 'Orlando Pirates'. The team composed the camp's war cry 'Ezimnyama Ngenkani'.

 

 

Over the years, Orlando Pirates, also known as 'The Happy People', have accumulated a record of successes having won the National Professional Soccer League title in 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1976, the National Soccer League title in 1994, and the Premier Soccer League title four times, in 2001, 2003, 2011 and 2012. Their first-place finish in the 2010–11 domestic league campaign generated much excitement among the club's vast fan base.

In 2011, Orlando Pirates enjoyed tremendous success by winning the 2010–11 Premier Soccer League, The Nedbank Cup, The MTN 8 Cup and The Telkom Knockout. This year was dubbed as "The Happy Year."^{[citation needed]}

Many other cup triumphs in domestic football have also been recorded, including Vodacom Challenge title victories in the inaugural 1999 tournament and 2005. But the African continent and other areas of the football world took notice of Orlando Pirates Football Club when they won the African Champions Cup (now known as the Champions League) in 1995 and the African Super Cup a year later. Along with Mamelodi Sundowns, TP Mazembe and AS Vita, the Orlando Pirates are the only Southern Hemisphere club to have won the African Champions League. This achievement resulted in the club being honoured by the first State President of the new democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela; another first for a South African sporting team.

Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung and his Jomo Cosmos counterpart Jomo Sono were popular players of the highest calibre for the Buccaneers before starting their own clubs.

In 2005, the team, along with Interza Lesego and Ellis Park Stadium Ltd, announced its acquisition of a 51% share in Ellis Park Stadium, making it the first majority black-owned stadium in South Africa.^[10] It was in the same year that Orlando Pirates achieved Superbrand status. Superbrands is an international company that identifies and rewards the leading brands around the world; Orlando Pirates are the only South African sports team next to the Springboks and Proteas to be given this status.^[11]

Orlando Pirates’ supporters are among the most demanding in Africa and the world; Pirates’ real supporters‚ or “the Ghost” ‚ as they are known are some of the most passionate football fans you will ever come across.

Known as the spiritual owners of the club they produce the most intimidating atmosphere on match days at Orlando Stadium.

 

Pirates' fans, who are also known as the Ghost, often boast about their team being the first club from Southern Africa to have won the Caf Champions League title having achieved this in 1995.

Not only is the original Mecca of South African football. Orlando Stadium is also home to local giants and 1995 CAF Champions League winners Orlando Pirates; It is by far the most intimidating of venues on match days.

Th club boasts an impressive record at home compared to other sides in the PSL.

 

 

The Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is fiercely contested derby. The first match was on 24 January 1971.^[12]

Amateur Era (1937-1960)

Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division Two

• Champions (1): 1939^[13]

Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division One

• Champions (3): 1955, 1956 & 1959^[14]

Johannesburg African Football Association (JAFA) Summer League

• Champions (2): 1950, 1952^[15]

Transvaal Challenge Cup

• Champions (3): 1952, 1955, 1959^[16]

SA Robertson Cup

• Champions (4): 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953^[16]

Robor Shield Cup

• Champions (1): 1959^[16]

South African League titles (9):

Premiership

• Champions (4): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2010–11, 2011–12
• Runners up (8): 1999–2000, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2022–23, 2023–24 (record)

National Soccer League

• Champions (1): 1994
• National Professional Soccer League
  • Champions (4): 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976

Nedbank Cup

• Champions (10): 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1988, 1996, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2022–23, 2023–24
• Runners-up: 2006, 2015–16, 2016–17

Telkom Knockout

• Champions (1): 2011
• Runners-up: 1987,1990,1995,2000,2008, 2010, 2018

MTN 8

• Champions (13): 1972, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Runners-up: 2007, 2013, 2014

CAF Champions League

• Champions (1): 1995
• Runners-up (1): 2013

CAF Confederation Cup

• Runners-up (2): 2015, 2021-22

CAF Super Cup

• Champions (1): 1996

Afro-Asian Club Championship

• Runners-up (1): 1996

Castle Challenge

• Champions (1): 1992

Sales House Cup

• Champions (4): 1973, 1975, 1977,1978, 1983

Carling Black Label Cup

• Champions (5) record: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019

Vodacom Challenge

• Champions (2): 1999, 2005

Telkom Charity Cup

• Champions (7) 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2008,2009

PSL Reserve League

• Champions (1): 2007

NB: South African football clubs started participating in CAF Competition's in 1993, after 16 years of being banned from FIFA due to the apartheid system. The ban extended from 1976 to 1992.

• African Cup of Champions Clubs / CAF Champions League: 11 appearances

The club appeared in the African Cup of Champions Clubs twice (1995, 1996) and have appeared in the CAF Champions League ten times from 1997 to date. The club has been knocked out 4 times in the preliminary round out of the last 6 appearances.

• CAF Confederation Cup: 4 appearances
• African Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance

• CAF Super Cup: 1 appearance

Note

• Orlando Pirates did not make an appearance in the CAF Cup. They qualified for the 2001 CAF Cup but withdrew from the competition. As the cup was intended for league runners-up their place in the tournament was then extended to Kaizer Chiefs who had finished third, but they declined as they had already qualified for the more prestigious 2001 African Cup Winners' Cup. Pirates' place in the tournament was then extended to and taken by Ajax Cape Town.^{[citation needed]}

As of 27 September 2021

As of 2 September 2023, Orlando Pirates are ranked 16th in the 2023-24 CAF 5-year ranking.

Rank	Club	2018–19 (× 1)	2019–20 (× 2)	2020–21 (× 3)	2021–22 (× 4)	2022–23 (× 5)	Total
15	USM Alger	0	1	0	0	5	27
16	Orlando Pirates	2	0	2	4	0	24
17	Al-Hilal	2	2	1	1	2	23

 

• Most appearances: Happy Jele 401^[18]
• Most goals: Benedict Vilakazi 52
• Most capped player: Teko Modise 58 (South Africa)
• Most appearances in a season: Senzo Meyiwa 51 (2013–2014), Oupa Manyisa 51 (2013–14) and Willy Okpara 51 (1994–1995)
• Most goals in a season: Dennis Lota 23 (1999–00)
• Record win: 9–1 v Olympics FC (Bob Save Super Bowl, 7 March 1999)
• Record loss: 0–6 vs Mamelodi Sundowns (League, 11 February 2017) Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
• Most games unbeaten: 17 (1975, 2005)
• Most goals scored in a season: 61 (1989)
• Most goals conceded in a season: 60 (1986)
• Most wins in a season: 19 (1990)
• Fewest wins in a season: 5 (1985)
• Most defeats in a season: 15 (1985)
• Fewest defeats in a season: 3 (1994)

As of 29 August 2024^[19]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF   RSA Thabiso Monyane 3 DF   RSA Deano Van Rooyen 4 MF   RSA Miguel Timm 5 DF   RSA Nkosinathi Sibisi 6 DF   NGA Olisa Ndah 7 MF   NAM Deon Hotto 8 MF   RSA Makhehleni Makhaula 9 FW   RSA Zakhele Lepasa 11 FW   ANG Gilberto 12 MF   RSA Katlego Otladisa 14 FW   RSA Monnapule Saleng 15 MF   RSA Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo 16 MF   RSA Thalente Mbatha 17 FW   RSA Evidence Makgopa 18 FW   RSA Kabelo Dlamini 19 FW   RSA Tshegofatso Mabasa 20 MF   RSA Goodman Mosele 21 MF   RSA Azola Tshobeni 23 DF   RSA Innocent Maela (captain)

No. Pos. Nation Player 24 GK   RSA Sipho Chaine 25 MF   COD Karim Kimvuidi 26 DF   RSA Bandile Shandu 27 DF   RSA Tapelo Xoki (vice-captain) 28 MF   RSA Patrick Maswanganyi 29 DF   RSA Paseka Mako 30 MF   RSA Siphelo Baloni 31 MF   RSA Selaelo Rasebotja 32 MF   RSA Thuso Moleleki 35 GK   RSA Melusi Buthelezi 33 MF   RSA Mohau Nkota 36 DF   RSA Thabiso Sesane 37 DF   RSA Thabiso Lebitso 38 MF   RSA Relebohile Mofokeng 40 GK   RSA Siyabonga Dladla 41 GK   RSA Ayanda Zulu 42 FW   RSA Boitumelo Radiopane

Jersey number 10 was retired to honour Jomo Sono when the club needed him at the match in 1980

Jomo Sono is currently the owner and founder of Jomo Cosmos at which he takes care of coaching job.

Jersey number 1 was retired to honour Senzo Meyiwa due his death when he was murdered at home

He was number one goalkeeper in South Africa having a competitor Itumeleng Khune

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Orlando Pirates FC.

• Official website  
• Orlando Pirates F.C. on Twitter
• Orlando Pirates F.C. on Facebook
• PSL Club Info (archived 7 December 2008)
• Orlando Pirates results