Sundowns’ super strikers in the last seven years

Mamelodi Sundowns have secured an unprecedented seventh DStv Premiership title in a row in 2023/24 as their dominance of the domestic game continues.

It has been a team effort across their seven league wins, but goals win games and their strikers have certainly come to the party.

We look back at who have been the leading scorers at Chloorkop in each of their seven title wins.

2017/18 – PERCY TAU

11 goals, 10 assists in 29 starts (+ 1 sub appearance)

Tau contributed towards 21 goals in his final season in the DStv Premiership before a move to Europe, scoring 11 times himself to share the Golden Boot with Rodney Ramagalela of Polokwane City. It was some way to sign off from the PSL as he showed the creative and scoring qualities that have made him one of the most influential players of his generation. It remains the best league scoring season of his career and the only time he has reached double figures. Sundowns claimed the league trophy in this campaign with 60 points, five more than second-placed Orlando Pirates. Not surprisingly, Tau won the PSL Player of the Season prize.

2018/19 – LEBOHANG MABOE

8 goals, 4 assists in 26 starts (+ 1 sub appearance)

Sundowns shared the goals around in this title-winning campaign with Maboe coming out on top with his eight strikes, more than double the number he has managed in any other campaign in his career, though injuries have limited his appearances in recent seasons. It was his first campaign at Chloorkop following a move from Maritzburg United and he hit the ground running, scoring important goals as Sundowns once again pipped Pirates to the title, this time by two points as they won their final five games of the campaign.

2019/20 – THEMBA ZWANE

11 goals, 7 assists in 23 starts (+ 2 sub appearances)

Zwane was at his best in this season, both as a scorer and creator of goals as he drove Sundowns to the title with some scintillating displays. When he is on top of his game he is mesmerizing and in this campaign he was consistently excellent as Sundowns grabbed the title in the final 30 minutes of the season when Kaizer Chiefs were held to a 1-1 draw by Baroka FC. It was form that would earn him the PSL Player of the Season award and deservedly so as he proved the difference between success and failure for The Brazilians. It remains his best scoring season in the league, though he did get 10 goals in 2020/21.

2020/21 – PETER SHALULILE

15 goals, 6 assists in 25 starts

The arrival of Shalulile at Sundowns from Highlands Park would transform the attack of the Chloorkop side and push them to greater heights in the title race. The Namibia international contributed 21 goals in his first season (15 goals) as he proved lethal in the box, though it was not quite enough to take home the Golden Boot prize, edged by one by SuperSport United’s Bradley Grobler, but he still walked away with the PSL Player of the Season prize. Sundowns won the title by 13 points, that dominance handed to them by the brilliance of Shalulile, though he was just getting started.

2021/22 – PETER SHALULILE

23 goals, 5 assists in 30 starts

Shalulile took it up another notch in the 2021/22 campaign with 28 goal contributions (23 goals scored) as Sundowns romped to the DStv Premiership crown. The Namibian managed 30 goals in all competitions in what was a magical campaign which ensured he would retain the PSL Player of the Season award for a second season running, as well as win the Golden Boot. He also completed the rare feat of back-to-back hattricks, scoring trebles in successive games against Moroka Swallows and Lamontville Golden Arrows. It was Shalulile at his absolute peak performance.

2022/23 – PETER SHALULILE

12 goals, 3 assists in 19 starts (+ 2 sub appearances)

Injuries made this a bit of a stop-start season for Shalulile and he battled to get into rhythm, but still managed 15 goal contributions (12 goals scored) and ensured he shared the Golden Boot award with Khanyisa Mayo of Cape Town City. The rise of Cassius Mailula (9 goals) helped to take the burden of scoring off Shalulile and covered for his injury woes as Sundowns romped to the title and won the trophy with a 16-point gap between them and second-placed Pirates.

2023/24 – LUCAS RIBEIRO*

12 goals, 4 assists in 17 starts

Ribeiro is the front-runner for Sundowns so far this season but may struggle to play again in the campaign having picked up a hamstring injury. That could leave the door slightly ajar for Shalulile, who has also been in and out of the side with injury, and has eight goals with three games left to play. It would take some doing to match Ribeiro, but if anyone can, it is the Namibian, who looks to be finding some late season form. Sundowns have already long sewn up the title, but are seeking to go through the DStv Premiership unbeaten, which would be a unique feat in South African football.

* So far with three games to play