Iqraam Rayners Profile, Stats and Career
South Africa's most in-form striker, Mamelodi Sundowns forward, and 2026 World Cup squad member ready to make his mark for Bafana Bafana.
By
Saim Junior
Published May 2026Iqraam Rayners is a 30-year-old South African striker who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns in the South African Premiership. The number 13 is the top South African scorer in the 2025–26 Betway Premiership with 12 goals and 3 assists, and finished second overall behind Junior Dion. This profile covers his age, current club, career story, international record, and his role in South Africa's 2026 World Cup squad.
Rayners grew up moving frequently with his grandmother before football changed the trajectory of his life. He has played for Santos, Stellenbosch, SuperSport United, and Mamelodi Sundowns, steadily building a reputation as one of South Africa's most reliable goal-scorers. At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, he scored two goals in three matches — the first South African player to achieve that in one Club World Cup — before earning his place in Bafana Bafana's World Cup squad.
Quick Answer
Iqraam Rayners is a South African professional footballer born on 19 December 1995 in Cape Town. He plays as a striker for Mamelodi Sundowns and is part of South Africa's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad. Rayners finished as the top South African scorer in the 2025–26 Betway Premiership with 12 goals.
Early Life and Background
Rayners was born in Cape Town and raised by his grandmother, moving homes frequently throughout his childhood. He played youth football with Kenpark United before joining Santos at under-17 level, where he developed his instinctive finishing and ability to drift across the front line. Financial pressures made early training difficult — in a 2020 interview, he described not always having the money to travel to training — but his perseverance turned football into a career that transformed his family's circumstances.
Iqraam Rayners Personal Info and Profile
| Date of birth | 19 December 1995 |
|---|---|
| Age | 30 |
| Place of birth | Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in / 1.76 m |
| Position | Striker / Forward |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Current club | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Jersey number | 13 |
Transfer News and Market Value
Mamelodi Sundowns signed Rayners from Stellenbosch FC on 22 August 2024. The move brought him to South Africa's biggest club and arguably its most demanding attacking setup. His 12 goals and 3 assists in 2025–26 — achieved while competing for minutes with Sundowns' deep squad of forwards — justify the transfer and position him as a key attacking option.
Club Career
Rayners made his professional debut with Santos in 2014 before joining Stellenbosch in 2017, where he helped the club win promotion to the Premiership. He moved to SuperSport United in 2020 and spent three seasons there, building his Premiership goal record. A return to Stellenbosch in 2023 produced his best season yet before Sundowns came in.
At the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup — the first expanded 32-team edition — Rayners scored the winner against South Korea's Ulsan HD and added a second goal in the group stage, making him the first South African to score twice in a single Club World Cup tournament.
Club Career Stats
| Period | Club | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2017 | Santos | ~60 | ~15 |
| 2017–2020 | Stellenbosch | ~70 | ~20 |
| 2020–2023 | SuperSport United | ~80 | ~25 |
| 2023–2024 | Stellenbosch | ~40 | ~18 |
| 2024–present | Mamelodi Sundowns | 26+ | 14 |
2025–26 Betway Premiership
| Season | Club | Apps | Goals | Assists | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 PSL | Mamelodi Sundowns | 26 | 12 | 3 | 2nd overall; top South African scorer |
International Career
Rayners made his senior Bafana Bafana debut in July 2023 at the COSAFA Cup and has been a regular squad member since. He scored his first senior international goal against Botswana in 2023 and has added further goals in World Cup qualifying and AFCON qualification. He is part of South Africa's 2026 FIFA World Cup squad — their first World Cup appearance since hosting the tournament in 2010.
His absence from Hugo Broos's squad during parts of 2025 raised questions, but his Club World Cup performances and Premiership form made his World Cup inclusion straightforward.
| National team | Caps | Goals | Tournament involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 10+ | 5 | COSAFA Cup 2023; 2026 World Cup qualifying; 2026 FIFA World Cup squad |
Honours and Trophies
| Trophy | Times Won | Years |
|---|---|---|
| CAF Champions League | 1 | 2026 |
| South African Premier Soccer League | 1 | 2025 |
| COSAFA Cup | 1 | 2023 (with South Africa) |
| Stellenbosch League Cup | 1 | 2023 |
Playing Style and Key Strengths
Rayners is a right-footed centre-forward who can also play wide, using his ability to drift left or right to create space and pull defenders out of position. His strongest attributes are clinical finishing, off-the-ball movement, and the ability to convert chances in high-pressure moments. His Club World Cup performance against Ulsan HD — scoring a tight-angle winner against an Asian opponent — showed his composure in unfamiliar environments.
At 5 ft 9 in, he is not the towering target man that Broos often favours, which explains his intermittent inclusion in the national side. However, his goal-scoring rate in 2025–26 and his Club World Cup form made the case for his World Cup selection undeniable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Iqraam Rayners represents one of South African football's best stories — a player who overcame financial hardship and inconsistent national-team selection to arrive at a World Cup as his country's most in-form domestic striker. His 12 Premiership goals, Club World Cup record, and consistent finishing for Mamelodi Sundowns make him a key attacking option for Bafana Bafana in Group A. South Africa fans will look to him to provide the goal-threat that can change a match at the 2026 tournament.
