Cardoso: We’re Ready For The Challenge
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is confident that his team can take on the best clubs in the world at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
However, Cardoso, whose Brazilians are in Group F alongside Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, and Fluminense, knows that his team will have to be at their best to progress.
The group gets underway on Tuesday with Dortmund facing Fluminense at 18:00, followed by Sundowns against Ulsan at midnight at the Inter & Co Stadium at midnight.
The Brazilians will then face Dortmund at TQL Stadium on Saturday and Fluminense at Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday
The Portuguese mentor acknowledged the challenge that lies ahead, particularly against Dortmund, a team known for its high tempo and intense style of play.
“It’s obviously a team that is used, here in South Africa, to impose. That would be quite challenging,” Cardoso said as per FIFA.com
“For example, with Borussia Dortmund, it’s a high tempo, high rhythm team that comes from German football, which is very intense, very quick, very aggressive, and we’ll have to deal with that and we’ll need the right mentality to understand that when playing against those teams, in some moments we’ll not have the ball.”
Despite the tough opposition, Cardoso emphasized the importance of not conceding goals.
“I believe that not conceding puts us closer to winning trophies. Despite that, my approach is not defensive. It is just pragmatic regarding what is obviously necessary to do to be at the highest level,” he said.
This pragmatic approach will be crucial as Sundowns take on the likes of Dortmund and Fluminense, two teams that are known for their attacking prowess.
Cardoso also took the opportunity to defend African football, which he believes is often misunderstood.
“African football is about joy. It’s on the pitch; it’s off the pitch,” Cardoso said.
“People should not think that our game is unorganised. Because there’s this idea that African teams are not organised, particularly in defence. That is definitely not true.”
