Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango has revealed that having his children in at the stadium ‘inspires and motivates’ him.

The 35-year-old has been in South Africa since joining SuperSport United from Uganda outfit Saint George SA back in 2006 before he was released by the Tshwane giants in 2010.

Onyango then went on to join Mpumalanga Black Aces as a signed free agent, where he spent one season before signing for Mamelodi Sundowns in 2011.

The Uganda international struggled for game time at Sundowns, Onyango was subsequently loaned out to Bidvest Wits but recalled the following season to secure a regular spot in the Sundowns first team.

Onyango has since become one of the best-rated goalkeepers in the league. He is currently ranked in the top-10 goalkeepers in the world, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

‘Having my kids at the stadium is very important for me as a father and a parent because it inspires me and motivates me knowing that my kids and my family are watching me in the stands,’ Onyango told the club’s official website.

‘It’s one thing that I believe it teaches our kids how to work hard and it makes our kids become winners because when they see their father on the pitch, giving his best, they learn one or two things from me and they get to understand that sometimes the game is about winning and losing.

‘If you give your best as a father on the pitch, it really inspires them and motivates them to love the game and to become better people in the future, which we all want as parents.’

Over the course of his career, Onyango has scored one goal and kept 129 clean sheets from 278 appearances across all competitions playing for SuperSport United, Mpumalanga Black Aces, Bidvest Wits and Mamelodi Sundowns.