Cardoso Draws Inspiration From Botafogo
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is taking a leaf out of Botafogo’s book as his team prepares to face German giants Borussia Dortmund in a FIFA Club World Cup Group F match at TQL Stadium this Saturday afternoon.
Botafogo recently stunned European champions PSG in their Club World Cup encounter, a result that has clearly resonated with Cardoso.
While acknowledging the need for realism regarding his team’s chances, Cardoso is equally determined to cultivate an environment of ambition, conviction, and determination within the squad.
“Sometimes I am accused of being negative, I heard already some people saying being [negative], it’s not exactly that, I am not negative, I am very realistic regarding these things and I’m not afraid to tell things how they are,” Cardoso said.
The Portuguese mentor continued: “I think many don’t know Botafogo, it’s the Brazilian champions and last year’s Libertadores champions but sometimes people mistake things a bit, but you look they has 28% ball possession in the game against PSG.”
Cardoso believes that such outliers can occur when a team’s mental conviction and emotional connection are strong enough.
“So that result can happen once out of 10… what I mean in regular days, the strongest will impose their strength, but outliers happen always, but those outliers happen when they mental conviction of the team is so strong, their emotional connection is so strong that magic can happen,” he explained.
“That is what I will try to create as an ambience in the team, the level of ambition, of conviction, of determination, so that we find the right emotions to play that sort of game and produce a good result,” Cardoso added.
The Sundowns coach emphasized the importance of understanding that things might not always go their way.
“But people need to understand exactly how to cope with the moments where those things happen and when it doesn’t happen, because they may not happen. They should not feel we are unsuccessful or not good enough,” he said.
Cardoso is confident in his team’s abilities, stating that his players are of high quality and everyone around the structure is top-notch.
“Whatever happens from here to the end of the competition, it might happen in two games, three, four, or even in five – my players are high quality and everyone around the structure is high-level quality people.”
