Ricardo Nascimento Bids Farewell to Mamelodi Sundowns Supporters After Six Glorious Years in South Africa

• Mamelodi Sundowns defender Ricardo Nascimento has said goodbye to the club and its supporters after a very successful stay in Tshwane
• Nascimento won multiple trophies with the club, including four league titles in a stint which included 53 appearances
• The club had to let the 35-year-old go because of the foreign players quota imposed by the Premier Soccer League

Mamelodi Sundowns' Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento's very successful stay in South Africa is coming to an end.

Since joining Sundowns in 2016, Nascimento helped Masandawana to four league titles and was also linked with a move before the start of the season. His 53 appearances for the club also contributed to a Nedbank Cup title, the CAF Super Cup and a Telkom Cup winners medal.

Goal.com reported that the 35-year-old Nascimento was being let go by the Brazilians to make room in its Premier Soccer League-enforced foreign player quota. This was after the club signed Bolivian player Erwin Saavedra during the transfer window last month, detailed in TimesLIVE.

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Nascimento said in a tweet:

"Thanks for the support, Sundowns fans! I really enjoyed and was very happy at Mamelodi sundowns! Thank You"

Supporters thanked him for his contribution to the club.

@PatBafo said:

"Thanks for your contribution to our success Ricardo. All the best in your future endeavours."

@JackNingi said:

"Obrigado, wishing you all the best. Just don't join Corinthians when you go back to Brazil. I hate that team."

@Qhawe5654 said:

"Join Oppo FC, they are struggling, they need Central defender. You can also assist by scoring goals, you are better than Lepasa."

@DinoThaluki said:

"We appreciate everything you have done for the club and being a forever reliable member of the Yellow Nation. Thank you Ricardo."

@Malume_Grand said:

"We are grateful for every moment you've spent in the field of play wearing the Sundowns Jersey! Thank you for being a leader. Thank you for choosing to be a champion. Forever Yellow Forever Brazilian."

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Premier Soccer League increases South American flavour as Western Cape sides sign players from Venezuela

The amount of South American players in South African football increased in January.

As reported on Sports Brief, Stellenbosch Football Club acquired the services of 28-year-old Venezuelan winger Juan Carlos Ortíz from Primeria.

Cape Town City signed Ortiz' countryman Darwin Gonzalez, a 27-year-old midfielder from the same league via Deportivo La Guaira.