Cardoso Was Unsure Santos Would Perform Well
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso admitted that selecting Nuno Santos was a gamble, but he took the chance after the midfielder assured him he would deliver a great performance.
Santos lived up to his word, scoring twice against Al Ahli in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup on Saturday.
Santos was a surprise starter against the Asian champions, but he repaid his compatriot’s faith by netting in both halves at a packed Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The Sundowns number 10 first headed home Teboho Mokoena’s cross past Édouard Mendy in the first half, before throwing himself at a precise cross from debutant Thabang Matuludi for his second, securing the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup trophy for his team.
Sundowns now advance to the FIFA Challenger Cup, where they will face the winner of the FIFA Derby of the Americas—contested between Mexican side Toluca and the CONMEBOL Libertadores champions—for a place in the final against European champions Paris Saint-Germain later this year.
“Sometimes we play cards and things go well, and other times we play cards expecting them to go well, and they do,” said Cardoso.
“I always say we are not magicians, but sometimes you can make magic, and the players can produce magic. I think what happened today [Saturday] was that the players truly embraced each other.
“Nuno has had his struggles; it hasn’t been an easy period. But that’s in the past—what matters now is that he has a smile back on his face.
“Because he found that joy again, I felt confident starting him. I didn’t play him to make him smile; he came in smiling, embraced the team, and supported his teammates. We had several discussions, and he told me, ‘Coach, I will give the team whatever it needs from me, and I’m going to prove that to you guys all the way.'”
Cardoso, who won the CAF Champions League last season, also praised the entire squad for their effort in Pretoria.
“I think there were fantastic performances from everyone on the pitch,” he said. “Individually, some players showcased their technical quality, while others contributed through sheer commitment to the team. What stood out to me was the incredible unity among the players after the match.
“There was a moment of doubt during the first half, and I told them at halftime: ‘Guys, no matter the final outcome, I want to look into your eyes at the end of the match and feel at peace.’ They understood the assignment, gave everything they had, and left the pitch with zero regrets.”
