Cardoso: We Have Every Justification to Be Proud
Mamelodi Sundowns’ head coach Miguel Cardoso feels that his team can be proud, even after their exit from the FIFA Club World Cup at the group stage.
The Sundowns wrapped up their tournament on Wednesday with a goalless draw against Brazilian club Fluminense at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, where winning in Group F was crucial for advancing to the knockout rounds.
Following the draw, Borussia Dortmund secured the top spot in Group F with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ulsan HD on the same day, leaving Fluminense in second place.
“We were aware that this competition came with its own set of challenges,” Cardoso remarked at the post-match press conference. “You can achieve remarkable things, as we did, but it’s also possible to exit without any rewards due to the intensity of the competition. There is a fine line between achieving good results and walking away empty-handed, and we aimed to steer clear of the latter.”
The Sundowns concluded the tournament with four points, the highest total ever recorded by an African club in FIFA Club World Cup history, surpassing the previous marks set by Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca, and Esperance.
Cardoso reflected, “We conclude our journey with four points; one win, one draw, and one loss. We gave it our all until the very last moment. Could we have performed better? There’s always room for improvement.”
Despite their premature exit, Sundowns received praise for their playing style, particularly noted during their exhilarating 4-3 loss to German giants Borussia Dortmund.
“Will I sleep well tonight? Definitely, trust me,” Cardoso stated. “I have not had a good night’s rest for quite some time, but tonight will be different. I take immense pride in our structure, my players, myself, and my coaching staff. There’s no greater joy for a coach than to sleep peacefully.”
He underscored the importance of their accomplishments: “This is a completed mission, recognition earned. In ten years, we will look back and appreciate our contributions to this tournament. It’s easy to get caught up in immediate outcomes, but when we reflect in a decade, let’s hope to say we were ‘underperforming’ then and have made substantial progress since.”
Cardoso emphasized the need for a thorough assessment of their Club World Cup experience, stating, “It’s essential that we evaluate what happened during this competition as we must strive for improvement. We cannot regress and repeat past outcomes. We have raised our standards, and I will hold everyone accountable to this level until my time here concludes.”
He concluded by highlighting the wider implications for the club: “Moving forward, our matches need to reflect this elevated standard. We must also leverage the excellent organization we experienced and continue to advance in areas like media relations, pitch quality, and facilities—everything must evolve from here.”