Miguel Cardoso reduces pressure related to defending the title ahead of Champions League match for Sundowns

Miguel Cardoso's journey at Mamelodi Sundowns has not been easy, but after winning four trophies, the Portuguese coach has strong grounds to argue that he deserves to lead one of Africa's largest football clubs.

Since arriving in December 2024, Cardoso has won the Betway Premiership, the CAF Champions Cup, the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup, and most recently, the MTN8. Nevertheless, his time at Chulropke has been marked not only by awards but also by intense scrutiny and disappointment.

At Sundowns, victory is an expected outcome; a league title is almost mandatory, and continental success serves as the main criterion for evaluating coaches. Cardoso secured a domestic title for the team in his first season, but this was not enough to appease critics.

The defeat in the 2024/25 CAF Champions Cup final against Pyramids FC with a score of 3:2 over two matches raised questions about his ability to take Sundowns to the top. These doubts were understandable, as the club possessed a squad capable of dominating South Africa and aimed to restore its status as a leading force on the continent.

Reaching the final was a success, but the loss required Cardoso to return and prove that he could finish what he started. He did so in May 2026, leading Sundowns to a 2:1 victory over AS FAR from Morocco over two matches, winning a second League Champions title.

This moment became decisive in his career. Instead of letting the disappointment of the previous season undermine his position, Cardoso achieved a trophy that carries the most weight in Sundowns' ambitions. Despite this, other difficulties persisted: Sundowns lost the title in the 2025/26 season and experienced setbacks in domestic cup competitions, showing that continental success does not guarantee dominance in all areas.

However, the new season brought new reasons for optimism. Sundowns defeated Al Ahli Saudi 2:1 in the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup, and then beat Orlando Pirates 2:0 in the MTN8 final on Saturday at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Tebogo Mokokena opened the scoring, and Ikram Rayners scored a penalty in added time, securing Sundowns' fifth MTN8 title and denying the Pirates an unprecedented fifth consecutive trophy. For Cardoso, this victory ended the team's wait for this tournament since 2021 and added another achievement to his career, which is steadily gaining momentum.

Nevertheless, it is premature to declare the mission complete. The main goals remain the Betway Premiership, the CAF Champions Cup, the Nedbank Cup, and the Carling Knockout, while further international opportunities depend on qualification and competition formats.

Managing a star-studded squad across multiple tournaments will call into question his tactical flexibility, ability to rotate players, and capacity to maintain athlete concentration. This is the reality of coaching at Sundowns: success does not allow time to relax, but only raises expectations for the future.

Cardoso deserves to be judged by his achievements, not just by lost finals or setbacks. Four trophies provide a convincing answer to those who doubted his competence. But at Chulropke, the ultimate measure is not what the coach has already won, but whether he can continue to win.

The Mamelodi Sundowns team has already won two trophies this season, but coach Miguel Cardoso emphasized that the Brazilians are far from satisfied and continue to fight for awards on several fronts.

The giants from Tshwane added the MTN8 tournament to their trophy cabinet after defeating Orlando Pirates 2-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Tebogo Mokoeona and Ikraam Reyners scored the goals, ending the wait for the title in this tournament since 2021.

This victory came less than a month after Sundowns' triumph over Saudi club Al Ahli with a score of 2-1 in the Africa-Asia-Pacific Confederation Cup, opening up the possibility for the current African champions to have an exceptional campaign.

With seven more competitions potentially on the trophy list, the question arises as to how many more the Brazilians can achieve before the end of the 2026/27 season. These include the CAF Super Cup, FIFA Challenger Cup, FIFA Intercontinental Cup, Carling Knockout, Nedbank Cup, Betway Premiership, and CAF Champions League, although the routes and difficulties of these tournaments differ.

Sundowns has already established itself as one of the continent's leading clubs by winning the CAF Champions League last season. Now they face the task of defending this title while managing domestic obligations and international competition demands.

Their next immediate task is the Betway Premiership match on Tuesday against Richards Bay at Princess Magogo Stadium, after which they will travel to Angola to begin their title defense in the Champions League against Wiliete Sport Clube in the final qualifying round.

Cardoso has repeatedly stressed the importance of ambition, but the Portuguese manager also realizes that the strain of a tight match schedule can test the depth of the squad and the team's ability to maintain stability.

After the MTN8 final, he urged the players to enjoy their success without letting it distract them from the remaining work. 'It's not like we need to celebrate collecting two medals in October,' Cardoso stated. 'Well, we should be happy, of course, but we must be humble enough to understand that we have a match in two days, and the CAF Champions League qualifying round is next week.'

The coach added that the Carling Knockout and other challenges will require the team to maintain concentration and belief in the values they have developed. The prospect of additional trophies looks realistic for Sundowns, but winning all competitions will require more than the quality that brought them early success. Squad management, physical condition, and stability will be decisive as the schedule intensifies.

FIFA competitions offer a particularly attractive opportunity to compare themselves with leading clubs from other continents, while the CAF Super Cup will provide another chance to strengthen their continental reputation. Domestically, reclaiming the league title from Pirates and participating in the Nedbank Cup and Carling Knockout will further underscore their strength in South African football. Two trophies by October gave Sundowns a great foundation. Whether they can turn this start into one of the most decorated seasons in the club's history will depend on how effectively they handle the upcoming challenges.

The technical team of Mamelodi Sundowns aims to assert its dominance in all aspects of domestic football, and there is no better moment to realize these ambitions than the confrontation with their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final.

Undoubtedly, Sundowns are the most successful team in South African football in recent years, including winning eight consecutive league titles until last season when they experienced a decline. However, they have not always been lucky in domestic cup tournaments; their last victory in a domestic tournament was won in the Nedbank Cup in 2022.

Nevertheless, coach Miguel Cardoso and his team intend to change this situation, especially after recent successes at the African level, as well as in Asia and the Pacific, thanks to victories in the CAF Champions League and the FIFA Africa Cup of Nations – Asia – Pacific Cup.

Cardoso stated: 'We are aware of the responsibility of such a match. We do not dismiss it. We want to perform well. For some time, I and the coaching staff have never played in a domestic cup final. Therefore, this is obviously an important moment for us,' he added, emphasizing that one cannot become too relaxed.

He continued: 'We will play on Tuesday, immediately after [the final]. We will also play on the weekend in the Champions League qualifiers. Of course, these are the goals we must keep at the forefront regarding preparation and managing player risks who are not in ideal shape. But when we step onto the pitch, we will do it with full intention and commitment. We understand what is at stake, and we would like to finish the season in the best possible way. We take nothing for granted.'

Indeed, Sundowns cannot afford to underestimate Pirates. The Buccaneers were their closest competitors in the league, especially after they displaced them from the Premier League throne last season with Betway.

Given that Pirates also aim to extend their streak to five consecutive trophies in this tournament and plan to return to the CAF Champions League next season, Cardoso emphasized why they need to be in top form from start to finish at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (at 18:00).

Cardoso noted: 'We are closely monitoring everything. This means we will have to prepare in detail. This will be a very high-level match; absolutely at the same level as the Champions League, because Orlando Pirates is a high-level team.' He added that 'they have many quality players. But this will be another match. What will speak about us is the end of the season. Therefore, we must find a balance, as there are many tasks during the season that we must approach differently, striving to do our best.'