- Mosimane said Club World Cup beats all his other achievements
- Former Sundowns coach has won the tournament three times
- African champions Wydad & runners-up Al Ahly are at 2023 edition
WHAT HAPPENED? Mosimane has been at the Club World Cup thrice, first with Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016, when they finished a disappointing sixth, before leading Egyptian giants Al Ahly to back-to-back bronze medals in 2020 and 2021.
The South African tactician, who has won the Caf Champions League three times as well as five PSL titles, says managing at the Club World Cup far outweighs those achievements, describing it as the ‘highlight’ of his career.
Mosimane is perhaps Africa’s greatest in the modern era, having conquered South Africa and Egyptian football as well as the continent and could have been again at the 2023 Club World Cup had Al Ahly not lost to Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in last year’s final, which accelerated his departure from the club.
The former Sundowns coach is currently handling Saudi Arabia second division side Al Ahli, who are top of the table, but still has eyes on the tournament which starts in Morocco on Wednesday.
WHAT DID HE SAY? “It’s [Club World Cup] the pinnacle of any club coach,” Mosimane told CNN Sports. “What’s the biggest tournament you want to play? Some would say the Uefa Champions League, but the Champions League leads you to the Club World Cup.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Jingles feels the Club World Cup gives players and coaches a chance to test themselves against the very best although he feels its format, as currently constituted, favours Europeans and South American teams by allowing them to enter at the semifinals.
Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs came close to featuring at the competition in 2013 and 2021, respectively, with Mosimane’s Al Ahly denying Amakhosi two years ago following a 3-0 victory in the final.
WHAT’S NEXT? Africa is represented by Al Ahly and Wydad in this year’s tournament with the Egyptian giants opening the campaign against Auckland of New Zealand on Wednesday.
