Mamelodi Sundowns' head coach, Miguel Cardoso, has laid down a significant challenge for his players, publicly stating his belief that they possess the capability to go toe-to-toe with global giants during their participation in the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the US.
This confident assertion underscores the ambitious mindset he has cultivated within the squad as they prepare to step onto one of football's biggest stages.
The journey for “The Brazilians” at the tournament officially begins this Wednesday, June 18, with a challenging opening fixture against the well-regarded Korean side, Ulsan Hyundai.
This first encounter will be critical in setting the tone for their performance in a competition featuring continental champions from around the globe.
Cardoso's confidence is rooted in a highly productive 2024/25 season.
Under his strategic guidance, Sundowns enjoyed an exceptional run, securing an unprecedented eighth successive Betway Premiership title, a testament to their unwavering domestic supremacy.
Furthermore, his tactical prowess also led them to the CAF Champions League final and the Nedbank Cup semifinals, demonstrating their consistent competitiveness at the highest levels.
In a recent conversation with www.fifa.com, the Portuguese tactician articulated his philosophy regarding the upcoming matches. He has directly challenged his team to embrace their role as formidable competitors, urging them not to be intimidated or “fazed” by the calibre of their opponents.
Instead, Cardoso expects his players to approach each game with determination, aiming to provide a “stern test” for every side they face.
This approach signals Sundowns' intent to challenge for glory, rather than just participating, reinforcing their identity as a team that fears no challenge.
‘WE UNDERSTAND THE REALITY’
“We believe we can challenge ourselves and create challenges for our opponents. That’s what will be the most important thing. We want to compete,” he said as quoted by iDiski Times.
“We understand the reality, but we are willing to do our best in every challenge that we’ll face. It’s also a test to see what level we are at.
“We know that in Africa, we are one of the biggest teams, but we also want to understand at what level we can be, compared to different teams around the world.
“It’s obviously a team that is used, here in South Africa, to impose. That would be quite challenging.
“For example, with Borussia Dortmund, it’s a high tempo, high rhythm team that comes from German football, which is very intense, very quick, very aggressive, and we’ll have to deal with that, and we’ll need the right mentality to understand that when playing against those teams, in some moments we’ll not have the ball.
“I believe that not conceding puts us closer to winning trophies. Despite that, my approach is not defensive. It is just pragmatic regarding what is obviously necessary to do to be at the highest level.
“African football is about joy. It’s on the pitch; it’s off the pitch. People should not think that our game is unorganised. Because there’s this idea that African teams are not organised, particularly in defence. That is definitely not true.”
