Maema, McCarthy return to club set up post TotalEnergies CAF CHAN performances

For most of the 2024/25 season, Neo Maema watched from the sidelines as new signings and tactical tweaks pushed him further down the pecking order at Mamelodi Sundowns.

The same fans who once chanted his name at Loftus were now asking whether his time at the club had run its course. Whispers of a potential exit were growing louder, and by January, they didn’t feel like rumours anymore.

Then came the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024 Qualifiers.

South Africa’s return to the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship after 12 years brought little fanfare at first, but for players like Maema, it represented something much more than another tournament. It was a second chance. Under Helman Mkhalele, Maema thrived.

He looked free again, sharp again, important again. He played with rhythm, creating and combining like the player who had first lit up the PSL in Bloemfontein Celtic colours years earlier.

It was during that tournament that everything began to change. Maema’s performances reignited belief. He came back to Sundowns different. Hungrier. Quicker. More decisive. Within weeks, he was back in the matchday squad. A few solid cameos followed. Then a start.

Then, against all odds, a call-up to Sundowns’ final squad for the FIFA Club World Cup. He went from being an afterthought to representing the club on the world stage.

Over at Naturena, a similar story was unfolding. Aden McCarthy had been promoted to Kaizer Chiefs' senior side a while ago but hadn’t kicked a ball in the first team. On paper, he was part of the squad. In reality, he was nowhere near the XI. It wasn’t lack of talent. The timing was never right. Coaches came and went, and McCarthy stayed stuck on the fringes.

But when the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN qualification rolled around, McCarthy got his shot. He impressed in camp, then impressed even more in the matches. What he showed for Bafana was enough for Chiefs to take another look. When they faced Marumo Gallants in a league clash not long after, McCarthy was thrown into the deep end.

He didn’t just survive. He shone.

Confident on the ball, calm under pressure, and alert defensively, McCarthy put on a display that got fans and coaches alike to sit up. Since that night, he’s featured more regularly, finally carving out a space for himself in the first team.

These stories are not just feel-good sidebars. They are proof that the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN matters.

In a local game where opportunity is often limited for some players, CHAN provides a rare window to reset the narrative. It strips away the star power of European-based players and lets homegrown talent speak for itself.

And in the cases of Maema and McCarthy, it gave them just the stage they needed.

For Southern African football, the tournament has done more than offer game time. It’s restored confidence, opened doors, and reminded clubs of the gems they already have.