MBABANE – Royal Leopard duo Felix ‘Fela’ Badenhorst and Muzi ‘Mzoro’ Dlamini are preparing for the next chapter of their careers.
This follows reports suggesting both players are ready to retire from professional football. It is understood the pair have informed club management of their desire to hang up their boots, with a view to take up new roles within the team’s technical structure.
Royal Leopard General Manager (GM) Frank Hurube confirmed the news, though he stressed that a final decision has yet to be made.
“They are still Leopard players,” Hurube said. “However, they have communicated their wish to retire. We have not reached a final decision regarding their request, but we cannot afford to lose such expertise. They will likely be working closely with the technical team.” Attempts to reach Badenhorst for comment were unsuccessful prior to publication, as calls to his mobile went unanswered and messages sent via WhatsApp remained unacknowledged.
Brazilian Neymar also announced his international retirement shortly after full time against Norway at the recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup at the age of 34.
Meanwhile, ‘Ingwe Mabalabala’ are reportedly keeping tabs on Nsingizini Hotspurs forward Ayanda Gadlela. The striker has reportedly been absent from Hotspurs’ pre-season training, sparking speculation over a potential move.
When questioned about the potential transfer, Hurube remained non-committal.
“As far as I am aware, he is still a Nsingizini player. It would be improper for me to comment on players contracted to other clubs,” Hurube stated.
If Badenhorst steps away, it marks the end of an illustrious playing career. The striker remains one of the most celebrated figures in Southern African football and is among the all-time top scorers in the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup history with nine goals.
Having debuted for the Eswatini national team in 2011 at just 21 years old, Badenhorst went on to earn over 22 international caps and four goals. His career included spells abroad with South Africa’s TS Galaxy and DRC side AS Vita.
After joining Leopard in 2024, he scored at least eight goals across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in securing the Ingwenyama Cup. Badenhorst has already begun testing the waters in management, recently taking charge of the Kingdom Celebrity Club as a technical coach during their 2-1 defeat against South Africa’s Hip Hop side at Somhlolo National Stadium. Over the weekend, both he and Dlamini featured for a local social team at King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium.
Dlamini has been an equally influential figure for Leopard since joining in 2014 from capital city giants Mbabane Highlanders. A mainstay under Manager Edwin ‘Porto’ Matsebula, his achievements include lifting the 2024/25 Ingwenyama Cup alongside Badenhorst.
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