Miguel Cardoso sets the record straight on Mamelodi Sundowns exit talk - 'We all knew I would stay'

In a strong response following Mamelodi Sundowns’ qualification for another CAF Champions League final, Miguel Cardoso insisted there was never any internal uncertainty over his future.

The 54-year-old dismissed exit talk as outside chatter that never influenced the club’s focus or dressing room environment.

“That kind of people don’t make my life; I live from the energy from the ones that are important and it’s curious that you say we didn’t know if we would stay; we all knew I would stay. We all knew we would stay, me, my assistants, my club, management, my players, we all knew that I would stay.

"The ones that wanted me out were probably ones that don’t have power or capacity to decide," Cardoso stated as per iDiski Times.

Despite criticism during a dip in form and calls for his removal, Cardoso says the hierarchy at Sundowns stood firmly behind him, with that unity helping drive the club to a run of victories that has them on the cusp of domestic league and continental glory, which he credits to the squad’s professionalism.

“But I don’t look at this moment [reaching the final] as an individual achievement, I look at it as a club achievement, players' achievements, it’s their job, their work, their high level of commitment, not mine,” he continued.

“I just try to facilitate and complicate nothing, and that’s it. I live in peace, I live in big peace, I am 54, and I have to enjoy life.

"One day, life will finish for everyone, and I don’t depend on my day to day work. I depend on what I did many years ago.”

The Portuguese coach says his personal stability fuels his success at Chloorkop, adding that his positive experiences with supporters across South Africa contrast sharply with the negativity often seen on social media.

“So my life is very stable," he explained.

"And I need to enjoy life, which brings me the peace of existing as a human being, that makes me just focus on my work, one day the journey will finish, for sure – let’s hope it’s very far away from today.

"But until that day, I will enjoy every day because I live in a beautiful country with beautiful people, I live to live here, I really do.

"My family loves [South Africa], I think people around me like us a lot. We try to create the right energy, that flow is very important to succeed.”

“It’s with open hearts we are here, for the differences and similarities, and not deal with the people who can speak; it’s not important," Cardoso said.

"I have social media, yes, I do. I follow blogs? No, I don’t – so I try to avoid noise as much as possible, noise that can twist my mind.

"And my people are the same – if there’s something important, the press officer of the club will tell me, or my assistant coaches will tell me, whatever is beyond that or on the side, I don’t relate with.

"I always try to see if my son is okay, if my wife is okay, my papa and mama are okay. Because if they are okay? I am good, and I can manage and go forward.”

Cardoso says he wants to be remembered at the Pretoria club not just for trophies, but for a legacy of respect and joy, highlighting that real-life support has outweighed online criticism during tougher spells.

“But most of all I want to give to joy to Mamelodi Sundowns family, to see these people enjoy, to be with them and you know something that is very beautiful, there’s a lot of people who speak on social media but I have to confess to you, there’s not been one single moment on my personal life in South Africa that someone came to be and complained,” he concluded.

“People on the streets in the supermarket, everywhere, and I go on the streets, I go everywhere [when I have time], people give me love and I give love to people, there’s respect and that’s the only thing I want to leave when I go from this club, people who look at me, my assistant coaches know, it’s this guy, whatever he makes or achieved, is a guy who respects and that’s for sure that you will get from Miguel Cardoso.”