Under-the-radar Sundowns could cause Club World Cup trouble

Mamelodi Sundowns can be considered one of the randoms sides of the 2025 Club World Cup. The Pretoria outfit, who are drawn in Group F alongside Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense and Ulsan, are one of the biggest names in the African Confederation. Their presence is due to their ranking within CAF, with two Champions League quarter-finals and two semi-finals between 2020 and 2024.

The South Africans reached the final in the latter edition (which does not fall within the four-year period FIFA has taken into account for the tournament), but had to settle for silver after losing to Egypt's Pyramids in the final. As far as the local league is concerned, they dominate. They are the most successful club in the country with 16 titles to Kaizer Chiefs' 12 and Orlando Pirates' nine.

Although they only won their first league title in 1988, Mamelodi Sundowns, founded in 1970, have won the last eight. This season, they have won 24 of their 28 matches, have 73 points and finished as the highest-scoring (63) and lowest-scoring (13) team in the South African Premier League.

Squad list

Players to watch

It is not easy to pick just one Mamelodi Sundowns star. Lucas Ribeiro is the player with a difference who commands the attacking football alongside Iqraam Reyners, a goalscorer by trade. The Brazilian has 20 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season, a more than creditable tally for a playmaker who usually plays on the right. The South African striker, for his part, has scored 22-9 this season.

At 26 years of age, Ribeiro has already spent two seasons in South Africa after almost a whole sporting life in Belgium. After leaving Valenciennes, he has played for Excelsior Virton, Charleroi, Molenbeek, Mouscron and Beveren. His 29-year-old accomplice has only played in local football and is a regular in recent times in the national team, with which he has five goals and two assists in 17 international appearances.

Coach

53-year-old Miguel Cardoso arrived at Mamelodi Sundowns a few months ago and has already had time to win a league title and reach the final of the African Champions League. Known in Spain for his brief and not very successful spell with Celta, the coach has also tried his luck in Ukraine (Shkahtar Donetsk youth team), Portugal (Rio Ave in two spells), France (Nantes), Greece (AEK Athens) and Tunisia (ES Tunis).

Regarding his style of play, Cardoso plays in a 4-5-1 formation that can be understood as a 4-3-3-3, especially in home league matches. In the Champions League, he dropped those wingers somewhat to strengthen the midfield. He has also used 4-4-2 in the past, as in his last adventure at ES Tunis before arriving in South Africa. The Portuguese averaged 2.62 points with Mamelodi in the league, a remarkable record after 18 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats in 21 games under his management.

Group stage fixtures

Matchday 1

Ulsan HD are Mamelodi's closest rivals in this group stage. The two will meet on Wednesday 18 June in a first matchday that will determine the chances of both sides in the group. Under normal circumstances, the winner will be in contention for a qualification place if favourites Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense fall out of the group. Their only precedent against a South Korean side dates back to 2016, when they lost 4-1 to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the third- and fourth-place play-offs.

Matchday 2

On Saturday 21 June, the South African side will experience the most one-sided official match, on paper at least, in their history. Borussia Dortmund, hot favourites to top the group, will gauge the chances of a team that, should they lose in the opener, could sign for elimination on matchday two.

Matchday 3

Fluminense will bring the group stage to an end for Mamelodi Sundowns. The match, which will be played on Wednesday 25 June, could pit two teams on three points against each other if they both beat Ulsan and lose to Dortmund. If that is the case (it is only a possibility, but not a crazy one), it would be a qualification final.

Possible starting XI