Gift Links enters Danish folklore as AGF clinch historic league title

Bafana Bafana hopeful Gift Links enjoyed a career-defining weekend in Denmark, lifting the Danish Superliga trophy just days after being shortlisted for the prestigious 2025/26 Player of the Season award.

The Rustenburg-born winger was the undisputed standout among South African players abroad this weekend. Links has been the creative heartbeat of an AGF Aarhus side that has been nothing short of merciless this campaign, sealing the championship with a game to spare following a 2-0 victory over Brondby IF on Sunday.

The win at Brøndby Stadium saw AGF reach an unassailable 64 points. Typically influential, Links provided the assist for the opening goal, further cementing his status as a club icon. This triumph carries immense historical weight, as Links and his teammates have finally broken a 40-year “jinx,” delivering AGF’s first league title since the 1985/86 season.

A SEASON OF INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE FOR GIFT LINKS

What elevates this title win is the individual recognition accompanying it. Gift Links is currently one of eight nominees for the Danish Player of the Season award, a testament to his sustained excellence in Scandinavia.

In achieving this feat, he joins an elite group of South Africans to have conquered Denmark, following in the footsteps of FC Copenhagen legend Sibusiso Zuma and Bafana icon Siyabonga Nomvethe, who won the title with Aalborg in 2007/08.

The 27-year-old has been a model of consistency, clocking 37 appearances across all competitions this term, yielding five goals and seven assists.

THE BAFANA BAFANA CONUNDRUM

Despite his sterling form, Links remains the “forgotten man” of the South African national team. His club coach, Jakob Poulsen, recently expressed bewilderment at Hugo Broos’ continued snub of the winger.

“I don’t know the SA national team that well,” Poulsen remarked. “But with the level he has shown over a really long period, I would be very surprised if they have three players better than him in that position.”

For his part, Gift Links is maintaining a professional outlook. Speaking on his omission recently, the AGF star insisted he harbours no bitterness toward the Bafana technical team despite not having any contact with SAFA since 2021.

“What’s being said has been said, but I have no hard feelings. All I can do is to keep working hard,” Links stated. “Whatever happens is part of football. These things should be motivation to keep pushing.”

With Broos expected to announce his provisional squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this week, the spotlight is firmly on whether the Belgian tactician can continue to ignore the newly crowned Danish champion.

CYPRIOT GLORY FOR MAYAMBELA

Gift Links wasn’t the only South African celebrating silverware this weekend. Mihlali Mayambela is also basking in glory after his side, Omonoia FC, secured the 2025/26 Cypriot First Division title.

Despite a 1-1 draw with AEK Larnaca on Sunday, Omonoia’s season-long dominance proved enough to secure the trophy. This marks the second time Mayambela has conquered Cyprus, having previously led Aris Limassol to their maiden league title in the 2022/23 season.