Family Disputes Suicide Claim Following Death of South African Player Who Played Against Korea

The family of Jayden Adams, a member of the South African national team who passed away after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has claimed that his death was not a suicide.

Adams, who played in the group stage match against South Korea during this World Cup, died suddenly on July 12.

According to reports from the BBC and other outlets, Adams was found dead in a building on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. Many local media outlets initially presumed his cause of death to be suicide.

This speculation stemmed from testimonies suggesting that Adams had fallen into a depression after hearing the news of his grandmother's passing during the tournament.

However, his family has recently come forward to dispute the claim that he took his own life.

In an interview with local media outlet eNCA News, Adams' father, Juanito, responded with a firm "No" when asked if his son had taken his own life.

He added, "It was such a sudden death," and claimed that "the family did not expect it at all."

The British newspaper Daily Mail reported that "Cape Town Central police have opened an inquest into the death of a 25-year-old man whose body was discovered on Saturday to determine the cause of death."

Just two weeks ago, Adams was competing on the field as a national team player in the World Cup.

Adams made his World Cup debut as a starter in the first group stage match against Mexico and also started in the second match against the Czech Republic.

In the final group stage match against South Korea, he was brought on as a substitute in the 80th minute.

South Africa, with Adams on the pitch, defeated South Korea 1-0 to successfully reach the knockout stage for the first time in history. That substitute appearance against Korea became the final match of his life.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Kim Hye-ju | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.