Miguel Cardoso adamant Mamelodi Sundowns should be proud 'of playing beautifully' despite Club World Cup exit - 'In 10 years we will understand what we did'

Mamelodi Sundowns shared spoils with Fluminense on Wednesday night to crash out of the FIFA Club World Cup that is ongoing in the United States.

The Premier Soccer League champions needed a win to advance, but they just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.

Borussia Dortmund and the South American outfit advanced from Group F as Sundowns and Ulsan HD head home after taking the bottom two positions.

Coach Miguel Cardoso is happy with Masandawana who collected four points from their pool. Have a look at what he said after the game.

“I can’t speak for the whole season, but the eight months I have been in the club has been amazing, we won the league, like nobody won, with records, only maybe not goals conceded we didn’t break, that was the base of the objectives,” Cardoso said in his post-match interview.

“We didn’t win the Champions League but we were back for the first time in the final in ten years, we will be strong going back there, those matches in the final, we were not at the level we needed to be."

The tactician insists what his team achieved will be felt in a decade's time.

“That’s why when we came here we were motivated to prove ourselves, with the style of play with the club, but football is like this – we knew this competition is risky. We played beautiful but come out with nothing, because the other teams are strong.

“We go from here with four points, the previous Club World Cup was two defeats, now it’s one win, one draw, one defeat, can we do more? It’s always possible to do more but we can sleep in peace tonight, we are proud of the players, the staff, everyone. Recognition achieved, in ten years we will understand what we did today," he continued.

Cardoso has vowed to continue giving his best as long as he is at the club.

“Let’s hope in ten years we look back and say we were weaker that time, we are much better, we have to be better, we have to grow. Our standards will increase, I will oblige to improve as long as I am in this club," he concluded.

Sundowns wil now get a few days to rest before embarking on pre-season ahead of another busy 2025/26 season.

Cardoso might be given a chance to sign a few players that will help him achieve his targets for the new campaign.