Mamelodi Sundowns have appointed Miguel Cardoso as the club’s new head coach following the sacking of Manqoba Mngqithi who left the club along with goalkeeper coach Wendell Robinson and assistant coach Romain Folz.
Cardoso is a 52-year-old tactician that hails from Portugal.
QUALIFICATIONS
Cardoso has a wealth of experience coaching both in Europe and Africa. He holds a degree in Physical Education and Sports, specializing in football, and a Master's degree in Sports Science from the University of Porto.
Cardoso began his coaching journey in 1993 as an U-12 coach at S.C Espinho. Three years later, he joined the FC Porto youth setup, working with their U-12 team.
He subsequently took on the role of fitness coach for Porto B and later managed the U-15 side. In 2006, he moved to Belenenses as a first-team fitness coach, and then to SC Braga in the same capacity.
CARDOSO’S COACHING CAREER
Shakhtar Donetsk
Cardoso gained valuable experience as an assistant coach at Academica de Coimbra, Sporting CP, and Deportivo la Coruna.
His first managerial role came in 2013 when he took charge of Shakhtar Donetsk's U-21 team. He subsequently became the first-team assistant coach at Shakhtar before moving to Rio Ave in the Portuguese top flight in 2017.
Rio Ave, Celta Vigo & AEK Athens
In his first season at Rio Ave, he was named Manager of the Month in August and led the team to their best-ever finish in the league, securing a fifth-place finish and qualification for the UEFA Europa League.
After leaving Rio Ave in 2018, Cardoso joined Nantes in Ligue 1 but was dismissed after a disappointing start. He then moved to Celta Vigo in La Liga, where he was also relieved of his duties due to poor results. Cardoso was appointed as the head coach of AEK Athens in May 2019 before returning to Rio Ave.
Rio Ave return & Esperance
Following his stint at Rio Ave, Cardoso took charge of Tunisian giants Esperance. He guided them to a league title last season, led them to the CAF Champions League final, where they were defeated by Al Ahly and secured them a FIFA Club World Cup qualification. However, a slow start to the current season resulted in his departure from the club earlier this year.
