Mamelodi Sundowns star Marcelo Allende breaks silence on continued Chile national team snub: 'It’s something that makes me a little bit sad'

While Marcelo Allende has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in South Africa since his arrival from Montevideo City Torque in 2022, his international career has remained strangely stagnant.

The diminutive playmaker has become a cornerstone of the Mamelodi Sundowns project, racking up 95 appearances and contributing 11 goals, yet he has not added to his solitary senior cap for Chile since moving to the continent.

The frustration is compounded by the fact that Allende was once a rising star in the Chilean youth ranks, notably captaining the U-17 side during the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

During that tournament, he proved his pedigree by finishing as his nation’s leading scorer with two goals.

He later progressed to earn 11 caps for the U-20 side before finally breaking into the senior setup in 2021.

The timing of his continued omission is particularly hard to swallow given the high-profile nature of his recent achievements.

Allende was instrumental in Sundowns’ CAF Champions League triumph last season and recently helped the club secure the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Ahli at Loftus Versfeld.

For Allende, the situation is a paradox: he is playing the best football of his career on a global stage, yet he remains invisible to those selecting the national team.

The midfielder has consistently demonstrated his ability to dictate the tempo of games in high-pressure environments, but the geographical distance between South Africa and South America appears to be a significant barrier.

In a candid discussion with the media, Allende did not hide his disappointment regarding the situation.

The midfielder expressed a deep sense of longing to wear the red shirt of La Roja once again, emphasizing that his pride in his heritage remains undiminished.

“It’s something that makes me a little bit sad because I am really proud of where I come from," he said, as quoted by iDiksi Times.

"I really like to represent my country, but it’s life, it’s football. I will always do my best. And I want to play my best football."

The challenge for Allende now is to maintain the high standards that have made him a household name in the Betway Premiership.

With Mamelodi Sundowns always competing on multiple fronts, including the revamped FIFA Club World Cup and domestic knockout competitions, there will be no shortage of platforms for him to showcase his talent.

Ultimately, Allende’s focus remains on continuous improvement and winning more silverware under the guidance of Miguel Cardoso.

While the "sadness" of the international snub lingers, his dedication to the Brazilians remains unwavering.