Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has motivated his side’s expensive benchwarmers. Cardoso encouraged players facing a shortage of regular playing time to continue working hard as “the opportunity will come.”
Mamelodi Sundowns Crowned FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup Champions
The former AEK Athens manager was sharing his thoughts after Masandawana were recently crowned the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup. His side edged Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al Ahli 2-1 in the final on 19 September 2026.
In an exclusive interview with Teko Modise on Mamelodi Sundowns TV, the Portuguese football manager said:
“You can be without game time for two months, but in two months you can be the most important player of this team. Just believe in it and work on that because the opportunity will come.”
Cardoso used Nuno Santos as a shining example of the stars who’ve been on the bench for months but put on a match-winning performance when the opportunity came up.
Santos scored two goals against Al Ahli, helping Sundowns win the crucial match at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
“We needed his maturity, tactical awareness, and capacity to connect the game a little bit higher.”
Mamelodi Sundowns have one of the strongest squads on the African continent. The team boasts players from Europe, South America, and South Africa.
Bafana Bafana senior players such as Teboho Mokoena, Aubrey Modiba, and Khuliso Mudau come from the Brazilians.
Because of the team’s squad depth, it is very hard to make the starting eleven or even be used as a substitute. Some players spend months on the bench waiting for their chance to get some minutes on the pitch.
Miguel Cardoso on Sundowns’ Future
On the future of Sundowns following their historic win in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup, Cardoso reiterated the importance of every player at Downs.
He emphasised that the coaching staff has to trust every player as the South African giants continue to play in international and local competitions.
“I have to trust my boys. I have to trust that the guys will step up. They need to believe in each other because some players will play one competition while others play in another. We will have to use everybody with full trust.”
Cardoso Applauds His Players for Mastering Different Tactics
On squad rotation and tactics, he shared that it’s been Sundowns’ intention since pre-season to master more than one system. He added that mastering many formations brings different challenges to their opponents.
“We change context very frequently throughout some of the matches. We have to… The team is now able to master the short game, but suddenly take it to spaces, but still travel together and play it again and keep having possession.”
Known for their Shoe Shine & Piano style of football, Masandawana have also incorporated the 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations into their club culture since Cardoso’s arrival.
Cardoso also spoke highly of his tactics, adding that he ensures that the players are comfortable with them before the match.
“My job is not to teach them to play football. My job is to connect them while they play so that they can express themselves within a collective environment.”
The 2025/26 CAF Champions League champions have been very hard to beat in home matches at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the past few seasons. Cardoso applauded their supporters for playing a pivotal role in their home success.
“Loftus becomes exactly the moment of sharing experience and living the values of the club from the outside to the pitch and from the pitch to the outside. I always say to my players, ‘Guys, don’t expect the people to keep on pushing us if we don’t give them the enthusiasm, the energy to do that’.”
His Hardest Game as a Mamelodi Sundowns Coach
Reflecting on his journey since joining Sundowns on 10 December 2024, Cardoso revealed that the first leg of the CAF Champions League final against Pyramids of Egypt was his hardest game.
Pyramids drew 1-1 with Sundowns in the first leg at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on 24 May 2025, and went on to win the final 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on 1 June 2025.
Cardoso said he was hurt because Pyramids’ last-minute goal resulted from “a sequence of mistakes” by his team. Walid El Karti made it 1-1 in the 94th minute.
“It was painful because that goal changed a lot of dynamics of the final. I felt that the players wanted to defend low to protect the result in the Pyramids match instead of keeping possession.”
Also Read: Teboho Mokoena dazzles as Mamelodi Sundowns become 2025/26 CAF Champions League champions
Cardoso on Winning the CAF Super Cup
He revealed that the upcoming CAF Super Cup is “a very strong objective” for Sundowns. Masandawana hosts CAF Confederation Cup winner USM Alger on 8 November 2026 at Loftus.
Before the Super Cup final, Sundowns face high-flying reigning Betway Premiership champions Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 10 October 2026.
Pirates won the 2025/26 Betway Premiership ahead of defending champions Sundowns, who fought hard to retain the title but finished in a close second.
For a live score of the Orlando Pirates vs Mamelodi Sundowns fixture and a detailed match timeline, including scorers, cards, and substitutions, visit our live scores page.
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