Miguel Cardoso has revealed how Springbok sparked Sundowns' fire against BVB
In a match that will be remembered as one of the most thrilling encounters of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns nearly pulled off a stunning comeback against European giants Borussia Dortmund, eventually falling 4-3 in a pulsating Group F clash.
Trailing 3-1 at halftime, the South African champions looked deflated as they headed into the dressing room. But what happened during that break has now been revealed—and it’s a story of national pride and sporting inspiration.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso, speaking after the match, shared that he invoked the spirit of the Springboks, South Africa’s revered rugby team, to reignite belief in his players.
Springbok Pep Talk
“It was not easy in the locker room at halftime, seeing the heads looking down. But the danger when you are down is that these teams, they will not stop, because you know that also scoring goals is important in this competition,” Cardoso told SuperSport.
“I used the beautiful example of the Springbok rugby team spirit that the team had to take back to the pitch. They had photos of their families on their shirts. We don't take the photos of our people on the shirts, but we take them in our hearts. We take them in our minds. And that's also what you need to ask for in these moments is that you make those people happy, you make the club happy, because you still fight,” added the Sundowns coach.
Springbok Springboard for Sundowns
Sundowns returned to the pitch with renewed energy and purpose. Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba both found the net in a spirited second-half performance that saw the Brazilians push Dortmund to the brink.
Rayners’ goal, a result of sheer persistence after hitting the post, and Mothiba’s late strike in the 90th minute, brought the score to 4-3 and had fans on the edge of their seats .
The result leaves Sundowns with one win and one loss in the group stage, still in contention for a knockout spot depending on their next fixture against Brazilian giants Fluminense.
