Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso.
Image: BackpagePix
The possibility of a rare trophyless campaign for the first time in 13 years is beginning to hover over Mamelodi Sundowns, and the consequences could be severe for coach Miguel Cardoso.
Sundowns have built a reputation for dominance in South African football over the last decade — making silverware almost a yearly expectation rather than a target.
But with pressure mounting on several fronts, Cardoso could find himself under intense scrutiny should the Brazilians fail to finish the season with a major trophy. The Brazilians have already failed to secure any domestic cup this season. Orlando Pirates lifted both the MTN8 and Carling Knockout Cup, while top-flight debutants Durban City FC stunned many by clinching the Nedbank Cup recently.
That has left Sundowns facing the very real prospect of ending the campaign empty-handed, something almost unthinkable at Chloorkop in recent years. The Betway Premiership title is also beginning to slip from their grasp.
Sundowns are seemingly on course to lose the league crown for the first time in eight seasons, with Pirates now requiring just three points from their final two matches to seal the championship.
Such a collapse would represent a massive shift in the balance of power in South African football after years of Sundowns dominance. The Tshwane giants have turned league success into a yearly routine, and surrendering the title would inevitably place Cardoso under the spotlight. The pressure has only intensified because of the quality within Sundowns’ squad.
The club possesses one of the deepest and most expensive groups on the continent, with seasoned internationals across every department. Expectations, therefore, remain sky-high regardless of circumstance.
Continental football could now determine whether Sundowns’ season is remembered as a disappointment or a success. The Brazilians will face Moroccan side AS FAR in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final on Sunday before the return leg next week.
Winning the competition for only the second time in their history could completely transform the mood around the club and potentially rescue Cardoso’s first season in charge. However, failure on the continental stage — coupled with losing the league and domestic cups — would likely intensify the debate around the Portuguese mentor’s future.
The reality at Sundowns is that coaches are judged differently compared to most clubs in the country. Winning matches alone is never enough — trophies, dominance, and attractive football are all demanded simultaneously.
Whether Sundowns rise to the occasion in the CAF Champions League final remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: a trophyless season at a club of this stature could trigger serious consequences.