‘There will be a lot of people haters speaking bad about us but we grow from it when people speak bad about us,’ said Cardoso.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso was left with mixed emotions after his side bowed out of the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday night.
Sundowns out but not down
The Brazilians were eliminated from the tournament following a goalless draw against Brazil’s Fluminense in their final Group A fixture at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
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Sundowns opened their campaign with a historic 1-0 victory over Ulsan HD, marking their first-ever win at a Club World Cup, before suffering a narrow defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
The stalemate against Fluminense brought their campaign to a close, falling short of qualification for the knockout stages. Despite the disappointment, Cardoso expressed pride in his team’s efforts throughout the competition.
“We made our club even more known in the world. We showed very good things from many years until now and now everybody in football will speak about Mamelodi Sundowns,” said Cardodso.
“No one wants to go to the stadium, go back home and after having watched football that was not exciting. Sundowns created good emotions for people that love football and that’s why we have so many people connecting to the team.
‘A very high level’
“I got messages from people that I was not even expecting to hear from and I don’t even know how they got my number but people from international football throughout the world from Brazil, Spain and England and that means that Sundowns played at a very high level.
“So we are not happy because you had objectives but I’m very proud of the capacity that the players showed and we have to go back to our country with our heads held up because we are much stronger than when we came here.”
Masandawana’s win over Ulsan HD was their first at the club world cup after losing to Asian opposition Kashima Antlers and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors during the 2016 edition of the tournament.
“The identity of the club has to do with people that support us and we know how much people look at us and see themselves through us and what we do,” Cardoso concluded.
“Look, I’m Portuguese and I have nothing to do with South Africa and the township of Mamelodi but at the same time, I have a lot to do with it because I know the responsibility I have. When we had to play the football that we did, it’s also because our fans want us to be loyal to that idea.
‘It’s their joy’
It’s their identity and it’s their joy. When they dance, we dance with them, and that that’s why I’m happy.In the middle of all the sensation of not having achieved the ultimate challenge of going through in the group stages, at the same time I know that almost all the people that support Sundowns have found in these three matches that we played a lot of identity.
“Now we are a lot stronger and I know at the same time in South Africa there will be a lot of people haters speaking bad about us but we grow from it when people speak bad about us.”
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Notably, all four African representatives at this year’s expanded competition Sundowns, Al Ahly, Esperance and Wydad Casablanca failed to progress beyond the group stage of the global showpiece.
