The sports community is in mourning following the tragic loss of Kaizer Chiefs defender Luke Fleurs, who was fatally shot during a failed hijacking attempt in Johannesburg.

On Thursday, April 11th, Chiefs held a poignant memorial service at FNB Stadium, where family, friends, members of the footballing community, and media gathered to honour the life of the 24-year-old.

Known for his vibrant personality and infectious smile, Fleurs endeared himself to many. Despite his brief tenure at Chiefs (having joined the club in October 2023), he left a lasting impression, leading to the highest tribute from Amakhosi.

Kaizer Motaung Junior, the Sporting Director at Chiefs, reflected on Fleurs’ impact and announced the club’s decision to retire his jersey number.

“Last week was one of the toughest weeks we’ve had as Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, losing a team member, a brother, a friend and a son in a way that we did has been really difficult for this team,” Motaung Junior expressed.

“As a club, we have taken a decision to retire the number 26 jersey,” he concluded. 

Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen also expressed his feelings and reflected on his experiences with Luke over the past few months.

“I’m sad, heartbroken, we were together for the past five, six months you know, as I said in there, once your path crosses with Luke, you will never forget him, he had that impact on people. 

“It’s like love at first sight, he was a good teammate to have, a great person to be around, he could light up a room, you get him in the morning, he’s happy, get him after training, he’s happy, he was never complaining. So, it’s difficult in this time but he would have loved for us to be happy, to be joyful, that’s what he stands for, be happy and live your life to its fullest,” Petersen concluded. 

Fleurs is expected to be laid to rest in his home city of Cape Town on the 20th of April.