Orlando Pirates F.C.

History

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

Early years

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. 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.

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. Andrew Bassie, a key member of the team, suggested the new name 'Orlando Pirates'. The team composed the camp's war cry 'Ezimnyama Ngenkani'.

Since 1937

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 Premiership 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 Premiership, The Nedbank Cup, The MTN 8 Cup and The Telkom Knockout. This year was dubbed as "The Happy Year."

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. 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.

The Ghost

Orlando Pirates’ supporters are known as “the Ghost” and produce an intimidating atmosphere on match days at Orlando Stadium.

Fans boast about their team being the first club from Southern Africa to have won the Caf Champions League title, having achieved this in 1995.

The Soweto derby

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

Honours

Amateur Era (1937-1960)

Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division Two

• Champions (1): 1939

Johannesburg Bantu Football Association (JBFA) Saturday League Division One

• Champions (3): 1955, 1956 & 1959

Johannesburg African Football Association (JAFA) Summer League

• Champions (2): 1950, 1952

Transvaal Challenge Cup

• Champions (3): 1952, 1955, 1959

SA Robertson Cup

• Champions (4): 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953

Robor Shield Cup

• Champions (1): 1959

Cup Competitions (unofficial)

Castle Challenge

• Champions (1): 1992 **Sales House Cup **
• Champions (5): 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983 **Carling Black Label Cup **
• Champions (6) record: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019,2025 **Vodacom Challenge **
• Champions (2): 1999, 2005 Telkom Charity Cup
• Champions (7) 1993,1995,1997,1999,2001,2008,2009 **PSL Reserve League **
• Champions (1): 2007

Performance in CAF Competitions

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.
• Contrary to popular belief, Orlando Pirates had already incorporated the star above their badge before the second leg of the 1995 CAF Champions Cup final against ASEC Mimosas. Photographic evidence from the match shows Pirates players wearing jerseys with the star, indicating that the club anticipated their victory and added it before officially securing the title. This challenges the common misconception that the star was only introduced after their triumph

Overall matches

Crest and colours

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Club ranking

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

Notable former coaches

• South Africa Walter Da Silva (1988)
• Zimbabwe Shepherd Murape (1994)
• Scotland Joe Frickleton (1995)
• Russia Viktor Bondarenko (1995–1996)
• Nigeria Shaibu Amodu (1996–1997)
• Romania Ted Dumitru (1999–2000)
• South Africa Gordon Igesund (2000–2001)
• France Jean-Yves Kerjean (2001–2002)
• Serbia Kosta Papić (2004–2005)
• Serbia Milutin Sredojević (2006–2007)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo Bibey Mutombo (2007)
• South Africa Owen Da Gama (2007–2008)
• Netherlands Ruud Krol (2008–2011)
• Brazil Júlio César Leal (2011–2012)
• Peru Augusto Palacios (interim; 2012)
• South Africa Roger De Sa (2012–2014)
• South Africa Eric Tinkler (interim; 2014)
• Serbia Vladimir Vermezović (2014–2015)
• South Africa Eric Tinkler (2015–2016)
• Turkey Muhsin Ertuğral (2016)
• Peru Augusto Palacios (interim; 2016–2017)
• Sweden Kjell Jonevret (2017)
• Serbia Milutin Sredojević (2017–2019)
• South Africa Rulani Mokwena (interim; 2019)
• Germany Josef Zinnbauer (2019–2021)
• South Africa Fadlu Davids & Mandla Ncikazi (interims; 2021–2022)
• Spain José Riveiro (2022-2025)
• Morocco Abdeslam Ouaddou (2025-present)

Club records

• Most appearances: Happy Jele 401
• 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)

Premiership record

Coaching staff

Players

First team squad

Players out on loan

Jersey number retirement

The club has retired four numbers.

Jersey number 10 was retired to honour Jomo Sono, regarded as one of the best players from South Africa.As of 2024, the jersey has been worn in CAF Champions League by Patrick Maswanganyi

Jersey number 13 was retired to honour Clifford Moleko in 1998.

Jersey number 22 was retired to honour Lesley Manyathela after his death in a car accident in 2003. Manyathela finished the 2003 season as top scorer, and the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot was named after him.

Jersey number 1 was retired to honour goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa after his assassination in 2014.

References

References

1. "Orlando Stadium sponsored by Lafarge".
2. Ditlotlhobolo, Austin. (23 June 2021). "How did Orlando Pirates get their name?".
3. "History – Chapter 1: A)Orlando Pirates are famously known for being the first South African team to win the African Champions League in 1995. BUILDING THE HOUSE OF PIRATES (1937–59)". Orlando Pirates FC.
4. "Orlando Pirates clinch treble". News24.
5. "al-ahly-s-eighth-star-in-2013".
6. "CAF Confederations Cup live scores, results, Football Africa - FlashScore".
7. "Trophy Cabinet".
8. (2024-10-05). "Tshegofatso Mabasa & Relebohile Mofokeng strike late as Orlando Pirates beat Stellenbosch FC to clinch historic MTN8 title {{!}} Goal.com".
9. (2025-09-13). "History for Orlando Pirates! Super-subs Tshepang Moremi and Tshegofatso Mabasa lead the Buccaneers to fourth-consecutive MTN8 title with victory over Stellenbosch {{!}} Goal.com South Africa".
10. "Orlando Pirates' dynasty grows with historic fourth consecutive MTN8 triumph".
11. "Orlando Pirates: The Pirates who ruled Africa". [[FIFA.
12. (October 2020). "A Guide To The History of Orlando Pirates Football Club South Africa".
13. "Ellis Park Stadium". Orlando Pirates FC.
14. (7 November 2007). "Pirates still top brand".
15. "South Africa's derby goes global". FIFA.
16. Maguire, Richard. (November 1991). "The Peoples' Club: A social and institutional history of Orlando Pirates Football Club, 1937 - 1973.". University of the Witwatersrand.
17. "The star on Orlando Pirates badge explained".
18. "Orlando Pirates Kit History".
19. "Orlando Pirates Football Club". Superbrands.
20. (2024-01-10). "Technical - Orlando Pirates FC".
21. (20 August 2021). "Orlando Pirates confirm 2021/22 squad numbers".
22. "He would have been 30 on Saturday".
23. Bosoga, Thato. "The tale of retired jerseys at Chiefs, Pirates & Downs".
24. (2017-03-17). "Orlando Pirates Retired Numbers!".