Lucas Ribeiro demands release from Mamelodi Sundowns & threatens 'to terminate my contract' - 'I believe that I have just cause'

Mamelodi Sundowns signed Lucas Ribeiro at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, from Belgian outfit Beveren.

The 26-year-old has since been a factor at the club, playing 88 games across all competitions whereby he scored 37 goals and provided 23 goals in the process.

He is one of the club's success stories on and off the pitch.

Ribiero shone at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, recently held in the United States, where his strike in the 3-2 loss against Borussia Dortmund was voted the goal of the tournament.

Brazilian outfit Flamengo and CAF Champions League champions Pyramids have been chasing the attacker, but it seems Qatar SC have won the race to sign him.

However, speculations are rife that Masandawana are frustrating the efforts of the attacker to seek a new challenge, prompting him to escalate the matter to the FIFA Football Tribunal. 

“I believe that I have just cause to terminate my contract with Mamelodi Sundowns FC, which I will explain before the FIFA Football Tribunal,” he said as quoted by iDiski Times.

“However, in any event, following the Diarra ruling by the CJEU, there is no doubt that the dispute between me and my former club will not prevent me from continuing my career with peace of mind: indeed, following its own regulations [as amended in light of the Diarra judgement], FIFA will see to it that the international transfer certificate be immediately delivered upon request by my future employer.

“I have received expressions of interest from various clubs, including some within the European Union, and I will now consider what is best for the future of my career in order to make the right choice, i.e. the one that will allow me to flourish as a sportsman and try to provide for the future of my family, knowing that a player’s career is short and unpredictable," Ribeiro concluded.

Ribeiro has three years remaining on his contract with the defending Premier Soccer League champions, who are desperate to keep him.

Khuliso Mudau is another player pushing out; the decision and solution now lie with the management.