After receiving his first call-up to the South Africa national team in Cairo, Tshrik Matthews discussed friendly rivalry with representatives of Orlando Pirates from the Bafana squad ahead of the upcoming match in Durban.
The striker for Mamelodi Sundowns, Tshrik Matthews, expressed satisfaction with the significant progress he has made at the club in recent months, emphasizing the importance of maintaining humility and consistent work. Matthews demonstrated his skill in the Sundowns team across all aspects, contributing to the club's victories in the CAF Champions Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as reaching the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates.
His development was noted when he recently received a call-up to the Bafana Bafana national team under head coach Pitso Mosimane, debuting internationally in a friendly match against Egypt in Cairo. Matthews' consistent performances justified the trust of coach Miguel Cardoso, who supported the forward even during periods of poor form. The Portuguese tactician firmly rejected accusations of favoritism from critics, stating: 'I am not Tshrik's father, as people keep saying... I focus on performance.'
Speaking the day before the MTN8 final against rivals Orlando Pirates at the fully packed Moses Mabhida stadium, the former Borussia Dortmund player revealed how he maintains concentration despite external attention. Matthews noted: 'When you don't play much, doubt can creep into your head, but it all depends on you as a person and a player, how you allow these things to affect you.' He added: 'If you don't do that and continue to work hard, doing everything possible, whether you score or provide an assist, the important thing is just helping the team win.'
He continued: 'Whether you play or not, the main thing is to work hard and stay motivated; that is the most important thing.'
Despite previously being criticized for wasteful finishing—especially after a missed opportunity in the 2025 CAF Champions Cup final that led to Sundowns' defeat—Matthews returned stronger. He provided a decisive assist in the second match of the 1-1 draw against AS FAR in Tunisia, securing the aggregate 2-1 victory and making the Brazilians continental champions.
Matthews emphasized: 'I don't pay much attention to what the outside world says.' He explained that he sees the criticism but does not let it affect him, as he has faced similar situations before. 'If I score or pass, that's how it is. As long as the team wins or plays well, I am satisfied.'
The call-up to the Bafana national team helped confirm that Matthews belongs to the top level of South African football, strengthening his belief that consistent effort leads to opportunities. Nevertheless, he remains focused on maintaining momentum at the club level. 'I am very grateful and motivated,' he stated. 'I would like to continue from where I left off before I went to Bafana, now that I'm back.'
Winning the MTN8 trophy would complete Sundowns' drought of titles in this tournament, which they last won in 2021, and underscore their ambition for domestic trophies alongside international success. Matthews added that the team is determined to win, especially considering the friendly rivalry and banter exchanged with Orlando Pirates players during national duty. 'We are motivated. It's the final. When we play against any team, we want to win,' said Matthews. 'When we are in Bafana, we spend a lot of time together, so we are very motivated.'