Should Mamelodi Sundowns have gone further at the FIFA Club World Cup?
Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Brent Carelse has hinted the team could have achieved more at the FIFA Club World Cup. Picture: Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
Image: Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP
Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Brent Carelse has hinted that the SA side could have progressed beyond the group stage at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Coming into the Club World Cup, the Betway Premiership champions were not expected to trouble some of the heavy hitters in the group. Instead, Sundowns beat Ulsan HD in their first outing, competed strongly with Dortmund before going down 4-3, and finally drew with Fluminense, which saw them miss out on the knockout stages.
There’s no disputing that Sundowns punched above their weight, but it was also a good indicator of just how good they really are - if their eighth successive league title in a row this season did not do the trick. After their encounter with Fluminense drew to a close, the entire Sundowns squad was seen taking part in a uniquely South African dance.
It was clearly celebrating how far they had come in just their second-ever appearance at the tournament. A number of Sundowns fans could also be seen in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium, in Florida, USA.
Sundowns’ Exit from the Competition: Debating Cardoso’s Strategic Decisions
Nearly a month later though, there are many who believe that Sundowns should have gone further in the competition.
“Look, there were certain decisions he [coach Miguel Cardoso] made, obviously it’s his decisions to make, who starts and who he brings on. We’re on the outside, we can debate and have opinions as much as we can, but we don’t spend every day with the players,” Carelse told Soccer Laduma.
“So we don’t know exactly what’s going on, you know, but yes, there were one or two decisions where you questioned it, why is this one coming on, why is this one coming off, things like that.”