Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has called on his players to remain grounded after the club claimed the MTN8 title, insisting that continued hard work will be essential as they pursue further success this season.
The Brazilians defeated Orlando Pirates 2-0 in Saturday’s final at a sold-out Moses Mabhida Stadium, securing their first MTN8 crown since 2021. The triumph followed their success in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup before the international break, giving Sundowns two trophies by October.
Cardoso described the achievement as a source of satisfaction but warned that there was little time for celebration, with domestic and continental challenges approaching.
“So, I think it’s an amazing achievement and it’s fantastic to arrive in October with two trophies on the back,” he told SuperSport.
“Now we need to keep humble, keep humble, keep working hard, keep thinking that if we don’t work hard, we’ll never achieve nothing because there’s already a match after tomorrow and then there’s the qualifying round for the Champions League that will be very tough.”
READ: Mamelodi Sundowns Beat Orlando Pirates to End Four-Year MTN8 Reign
Asked whether this was the strongest squad he had worked with at Sundowns, Cardoso pointed to the greater attacking depth available to him rather than offering a definitive verdict.
“We have more options in terms of attack now,” he said.
The coach also praised the mentality of his players, emphasising the importance of how they approach competition rather than their individual reputations.
“I’m very happy firstly by the way the boys understand how they have to compete and it’s not who they are, it’s what they become when they compete and that is for us the most important thing.”