How the death of Jayden Adams shook a community: ‘Being on the pitch was his happy place’

Those who knew the South African, who died aged 25 not long after playing at the World Cup, describe a humble and hard-working man who cared about friends and family

For Jayden Adams, the South Africa midfielder who died this month at the age of 25, football was a “safe space”. Those words, used by Adams’s junior coach Steve Barker at his memorial service last Thursday, tell you everything you need to know about his life beyond the pitch.

Adams’s battles were bestowed on him almost from birth. Though he was born into newly democratic South Africa, by the early 2000s the revolution was well on its way to being betrayed. The vote was extended to all, but few could make full use of the freedoms available to them because socioeconomic circumstances in the country had barely changed. Stellenbosch, where the Adams family were based, is a perfect example.

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