Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso questioned the lack of recognition for midfielder Marcelo Allende in South Africa. Cardoso believes that despite consistent performances and an increasing number of individual awards, Allende remains an underrated player in South African football.
Allende received the Match Player award for the second consecutive time after playing a key role in Sundowns' 3-2 victory over Golden Arrows on Sunday. This win secured the team a spot in the MTN8 tournament final.
The latest recognition prompted Cardoso to question why the Chilean player receives so little individual attention during his time in South Africa. Since joining Sundowns, Allende has established himself as an important element of the midfield, yet he has only been nominated once for the PSL Best Midfielder award.
This nomination took place in the 2024/25 season when he was included in the shortlist alongside Mahlenni Mahaule from Orlando Pirates and Sundowns teammate Tebogo Mokone. Ultimately, Mahaule won the award.
Cardoso told journalists: 'Regarding Marcelo. I said that when he received the Match Player award, I think it is the second in a row, so he got it in the last match.' He continued: 'For me, it is a very surprising thing that Marcelo has been performing consistently in South Africa for so many years and still hasn't received a real award for best midfielder of the season, especially when we see the winger receiving this trophy.'
Nevertheless, the Portuguese coach does not want Allende's individual recognition to distract from Sundowns' bigger goals. Cardoso is convinced that individual awards should ultimately be a result of collective success.
He added: 'But that is also something from the past. What we need to think about is what we are going to do this season to ultimately put ourselves in the desired position.' Sundowns is now focusing on the Betway Premier League, and their next match is scheduled for Wednesday against Milford. This match will give Allende another opportunity to maintain the form that earned him consecutive Match Player awards, while Sundowns aims to gain momentum in the league after reaching the MTN8 final.
However, for Cardoso, the priority remains clear: Allende's individual performances will only matter if they contribute to Sundowns' collective ambitions. He concluded: 'And no one at Sundowns is interested in fighting for individual trophies unless those trophies mean the team performed well. And then we accept the individual, of course.'