Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso insists the club’s stature remains unchanged despite their historic CAF Champions League triumph, stressing that humility, commitment and hard work remain central to their ambitions.
Cardoso has made it clear that winning a second CAF Champions League title has not changed the club’s standing in African football, insisting that the Brazilians were already a giant before adding another star to their badge.
The Portuguese tactician believes Sundowns’ reputation was built over several years of consistent performances on the continent, with successive deep runs in Africa’s premier club competition reinforcing their status among the continent’s elite.
“Sundowns was a big team before winning the Champions League for the second time,” Cardoso said.
“We played the previous season, we played the final. The previous two seasons were semifinals. I remember when I came to play against Mamelodi Sundowns, I was looking for Sundowns as a big monster, a big, big, big team.”
For Cardoso, the club’s second continental crown is a recognition of its established stature rather than a transformation of its identity.
“So nothing changed. We just put a star; that should change nothing,” he added.
However, the Sundowns mentor believes the real challenge lies not in how opponents perceive the club, but in how the players approach every competition. He has urged his squad to remain grounded and understand that past achievements cannot guarantee future success.
“The question here is not how the others see us. The question is how we stay humble to understand how we have to fight in this competition and in all competitions,” Cardoso explained.
The coach emphasised that competing at Champions League level requires more than technical quality and attractive football. According to him, commitment, sacrifice and intensity provide the foundation upon which Sundowns’ footballing philosophy can flourish.
“This Champions League had a lot to do not just with quality expressing, but a lot to do with commitment, compromise, and fighting,” he said.
Cardoso also clarified that fighting does not mean resorting to physical confrontations. Instead, he described it as maintaining high intensity, moving the ball quickly, creating space, supporting teammates and reacting aggressively when possession is lost.
For the Portuguese coach, these details separate good performances from the standards demanded by African football’s biggest stage.
Reflecting on Sundowns’ previous continental campaign, Cardoso recalled their goal against Espérance in Tunisia, highlighting how sustained hard work created the platform for a decisive attacking moment.
He believes that same commitment must become a consistent feature of the team’s performances.
“We just didn’t put the fight that we have to put,” he admitted when assessing a previous display.
Ultimately, Cardoso’s message is clear: Sundowns’ second star should celebrate their achievements, not breed complacency. The challenge now is to protect their reputation through humility, discipline and relentless work on the pitch.
Written by: Sandile Ndumo
