Miguel Cardoso of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Betway Premiership 2025/26 Mamelodi Sundowns Press Conference at Chloorkop in Soweto on 30 October 2025 ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has conceded that he is not entirely pleased with his team’s start to the season, even though they sit on the top of the Betway Premiership table.
Sundowns lead the pack
The Brazilians’ hard-fought 1-0 win over TS Galaxy at Loftus Versfeld on Wednesday night ensured they would head into the FIFA international break still leading the pack. Masandawana have now amassed 25 points from 12 league matches, three ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have two games in hand.
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Despite their position, sections of the Sundowns faithful have expressed concern over the team’s performances. Cardoso did not shy away from those sentiments, admitting that the technical team and players share that same feeling.
“Of course, I’m not happy with the points that we have at the moment, but that is something that comes from the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, we lost points in matches that we should have won,” he said.
“I also understood the conditions from the beginning of the season. I have spoken so much about this and I don’t want to come with this talk because people will say the coach always brings excuses. But now it’s you coming with this question.
Cardoso – ‘The competition has got better’
“Our start was not as normal as it should have been by the fact that we went to the Club World Cup and we didn’t have time to prepare as we should have. No one inside Mamelodi Sundowns is happy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t understand why that is.
“We knew from the beginning that the league would be very tough and I’ve spoken already about that. The competition has gotten better and it comes already from last season, but what we want is to shape our character in a way that it’s so strong and have an attitude that no one can destroy it.”
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Cardoso will now turn his attention to continental duties, with Sundowns set to host Saint-Eloi Lupopo in their opening CAF Champions League group-stage fixture once the international break concludes.
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