Deano van Rooyen

Deano van Rooyen is a South African professional footballer who built his reputation as a dependable right-back before making the move to one of the country's biggest clubs, Orlando Pirates.

Born on 24 November 1996 in Stellenbosch, Van Rooyen came through the ranks at Stellenbosch FC, where he spent several years establishing himself as one of the club's key defenders. He made more than 100 league appearances for the Cape Winelands side.

His performances eventually earned him a move to Orlando Pirates in August 2024. The transfer represented a major step in his career, with Van Rooyen joining the club he had supported growing up.

He initially made a strong impression at Pirates, featuring regularly and producing one of his standout performances in the club's CAF Champions League campaign.

Van Rooyen's progress was later disrupted by injuries, which affected his playing time and saw him face increased competition for the right-back position.

His performances at club level also earned him a first Bafana Bafana call-up in 2025. He made his international debut during a friendly against Tanzania and also featured against Mozambique.

After two seasons with the Buccaneers, Van Rooyen's time at Pirates came to an end in August 2026. He left having made 51 appearances across all competitions, scoring once and providing one assist.

READ: Deano van Rooyen Leaves Orlando Pirates After Two Seasons

In his farewell message, Van Rooyen thanked the club, his teammates, coaches and supporters, describing his time at Pirates as an experience that helped him grow both as a footballer and as a person.

At 29, Van Rooyen now enters the next chapter of his career with his experience at Stellenbosch, Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana behind him.