Innocent Maela details Orlando Pirates’ role in his retirement

Former Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela has offered insight into the nature of his retirement at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season, detailing the support and conversations he held with the club regarding his decision to end his playing career.

Maela, a versatile defender capable of operating at left-back or centre-back, retired at age 32 before the start of the current 2025/26 campaign, concluding a nearly decade-long tenure with the Buccaneers. His exit necessitated a restructuring of the team’s leadership, which is now headed by Nkosinathi Sibisi, with Tapelo Xoki and Mbekezeli Mbokazi serving as his deputies.

Currently transitioning into a media role, including punditry on the Pirates Podcast hosted by former teammate Michael Morton, Maela concluded his career as one of the club’s most decorated captains, having lifted three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cups over three seasons.

The Orlando Pirates Perspective

Speaking on the podcast, Maela revealed that the club actively engaged him about his post-playing future, rather than pushing him toward retirement.

“I had a conversation with the club because they asked me ‘what are your plans after football? We want to help you.’ They were really supportive,” Maela stated.

He shared his personal ambition to retire while still playing for the Soweto giants, which the club understood: “They were like, ‘yeah we understand.’ But I had to go home. The decision was made at home with my family and myself.”

Maela emphasised that the final decision was personal, taken after careful consideration: “I took my time, and I was like it’s actually the perfect time for me to retire, you have done all you can, you have done your best.” He pointed to his achievements, including representing Bafana Bafana, playing in the CAF Champions League, and achieving a record five trophies lifted as captain in three seasons.

Mental Fatigue-Driven Retirement For Maela

Despite observers feeling he still possessed the physical ability to continue, the former international explained that his retirement was driven by a mental and emotional need for change.

“I still look fresh. I took some time to check within myself, and I was searching for that spark,” Maela explained. “You need that spark to keep on going. Each and every day you wake up, you go to training, it’s the same routine.”

He concluded that the predictability and rigour of professional football had led to burnout: “I believe I reached a point where I didn’t want to go through that anymore… It was mental and emotional fatigue. I had a conversation with my family, my wife, and they supported me.”