Five Mamelodi Sundowns players who could announce themselves on the global stage at the Fifa Club World Cup

The Brazilian heads into the global competition on the back of his best season in Sundowns colours in the Premier Soccer League, where he was by far the best player in the league.

Ribeiro is the PSL Player of the Year in waiting and the numbers suggest Sundowns would not hit the heights they have managed without him.  

Ribeiro scored 16 league goals this season to scoop the Golden Boot Award and he also provided 13 assists, underlining his importance to the Brazilians.

Ribeiro has previously played in Europe, and a solid showing on the global stage will likely see him catch the eye of bigger clubs and earn a big move back abroad.

Mokoena is among the handful of Sundowns players seen as Europe material, with the central midfielder an ever-reliable figure both for club and country.

‘Tebza’, as the talented midfield ace is known, brings calmness in midfield, protects the defence and is the man who sets the tempo of the game for the Brazilians. 

Another major attribute that Mokoena possesses is his ability from set pieces, as he had previously shown for Sundowns and Bafana Bafana on the biggest stage.

Any top scout would likely have little trouble spotting talent in Mokoena, and it would be up to Sundowns to decide if they are ready to let him go or not. 

Sundowns’ right-back, Mudau, is among the consistent performers for the club and he will be eager to produce one of his trademark showings that could see him catch the eye.

There’s already reported interest in the Bafana star from his performances in Afcon, where he was a key player for South Africa as they bagged the Bronze medal in the Ivory Coast.

Mudau’s situation is made more complicated for Sundowns by the fact that the club are yet to find common ground with the defender in ongoing contract talks.

If Mudau performs well enough to attract more concrete interest from European teams, Sundowns could be pressed to sell the star defender to avoid losing him on a free should they not agree on a new deal.

Adams joined Sundowns from Stellenbosch FC in January and has not looked out of place, taking to life in Tshwane like a duck to water. 

He clinched his first of probably many league medals with Sundowns when they were officially coronated as the PSL champions a few weeks ago. 

He now sets his sights on the global stage as he looks to showcase his skills in front of an international audience and hopefully earn a few admirers in the right places.

Adams's age means he can still prosper in Europe should he manage to produce a performance that earns him a move to a bigger league and bigger clubs.

The South American has undoubtedly been one of Sundowns’ most dependable midfielders since he joined the club, and they will be desperate to keep him.

The Club World Cup will provide the diminutive midfielder with the opportunity to showcase his skills at the highest level in club football.

Allende’s initial contract is set to come to an end at the end of June next year, and the South African champions have moved quickly to exercise the one-year option on his contract.

Sundowns have positioned themselves to ensure that they do not lose one of their prized possessions for free, and any club that harbours an interest must pay up to land the player.

The Chilean midfielder joined Sundowns in 2022 on a three-year contract. This season, the 26-year-old has been influential in helping the club win their eighth league title in a row, having played in the vast majority of league games.

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Mamelodi Sundowns

Fifa Club World Cup page

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