Orlando Pirates : The Buccaneers

 Orlando Pirates football club is not only one of the most famous clubs in South Africa, but also one of the oldest clubs in the country. It was formed in 1937, is famous for its full black jersey and was formerly based in Orlando Soweto, before moving to Parktown Johannesburg. The club takes pride in being the only team from South Africa to have won the CAF Champions League, a feat achieved in 1995, as well as being the first club to win three major trophies since the inception of the Premier Soccer League. Again, Orlando Pirates also prides itself as the only club in South Africa to have always been in the top 8 in the past 20 years.

As the oldest club in South Africa, Orlando Pirates has at all times been one of the best performers in the country. It is known to have provided a proper platform for young talents in the country to play football and act as an inspiration not only to players but also to other clubs such as Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos, which were formed by breakaway factions from Orlando Pirates. Known as happy people, Orlando Pirates fans have always been associated with mine workers in the famous goldmines in South Africa. The club has constantly been an inspiration to mineworkers and is known to bring joy to their faces.

The Club's Achievements

Even though Orlando Pirates may have been surpassed in terms of trophies with their arch-rival Kaizer Chiefs, it is a club famously known for its firsts. In this regard, it is the first and the only South African club to have lifted the CAF champions league. Again, Orlando Pirates is the only South African sports team apart from the Springboks and Proteus to have achieved the Superbrand status, an accomplishment given to world-leading brands and companies. In other exploits of its firsts, Orlando Pirates is known as the only black-owned team that is the majority shareholder of one of the best stadiums in the country, Ellis Park Stadium. This feat was achieved in 2005 after the team along with other stakeholders acquired the stadium.

In terms of players, Orlando Pirates has for many years been associated with some of the biggest football names in South Africa. From the early days, the club has been known to be full of amazing talents that went on to represent the national team, as well as other internationally known football clubs. Some of the well-known club legends are Kaizer Motaung and Jomo Sono who went on to have successful playing careers before going on to form their own clubs. Kaizer Motaung is the owner and founder of Kaizer Chiefs while Jomo Sono is the owner and founder of Jomo Cosmos, another established football club in South Africa.

In terms of rivalry, Orlando Pirates' fierce rivals are another famous club Kaizer Chiefs, which is also based in Soweto. The clubs rivalry is long-lived and has been widely dubbed as the Soweto derby. Whenever the two teams meet for any match, it is always a full parked house with both the teams’ fans trying to outdo each other. As one of the best clubs in Africa, Orlando Pirates is a footballing brand that is surely entrenched in the heart of every football fan in South Africa.