A third knockout trophy in the last two seasons has seen Orlando Pirates make ground on Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns in terms of domestic trophies won in the Premier Soccer League era.
Pirates claimed the MTN8 in Durban on Saturday as they beat Sundowns in the final to retain the trophy they won last year. They also claimed the Nedbank Cup in the 2022/23 campaign.
It takes their number of domestic trophies to 14 since the start of the 1996/97 season, and their number of MTN8 wins to six, more than any other side. Chiefs have won the competition four times since then and Sundowns only twice.
Pirates and Chiefs both have the same number of league wins in the last 27 years with four each, but that number is dwarfed by runaway leaders Sundowns, who have claimed 13 titles, including the last six in a row.
Interesting, Pirates and Chiefs have also both one the same number of Nedbank Cups with three each, which is behind Sundowns on five.
But where Chiefs hold the edge is in the Carling Knockout Cup, formerly known as the Rothmans Cup, Coca-Cola Cup and Telkom Knockout, where they have eight wins, though none since 2010. The competitions returns this season for the first time since 2019.
Sundowns have lifted the trophy three times since 1996/97 but Pirates just once in 2011. It turned into something of a bogey tournament for them having made five finals between 2008 and 2018, but losing four of them.
In total Pirates have won 14 major domestic trophies in the last 27 years, Chiefs have taken home 19, though none since 2015, and Sundowns lead the way with 23.
TROPHIES BY THE ‘BIG-THREE’ SINCE 1996/97
ORLANDO PIRATES
League titles (4): 2000/01, 2002/03, 2010/11, 2011/12
Nedbank Cup (3): 2011, 2014, 2023
Carling Knockout (1): 2011
MTN8 (6): 2000, 2010, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2023
KAIZER CHIEFS
League titles (4): 2003/04, 2004/05, 2012/13, 2014/15
Nedbank Cup (3): 2000, 2006, 2013
Carling Knockout (8): 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010
MTN8 (4): 2001, 2006, 2008, 2014
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
League titles (13): 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/2000, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23
Nedbank Cup (5): 1998, 2008, 2015, 2020, 2022
Carling Knockout (3): 1999, 2015, 2019
MTN8 (2): 2007, 2021