Sundowns set for crunch contract talks with Cardoso and Zwane

Mamelodi Sundowns are set for crunch talks with coach Miguel Cardoso and inspirational captain Themba Zwane.

Cardoso, who joined Sundowns in December 2024 to replace Manqoba Mngqithi, has delivered the Champions League that has eluded the club for the past 10 years.

Downs drew 1-1 with AS FAR in Rabat on Sunday for a 2-1 aggregate victory in the final.

It is not immediately clear when Cardoso’s contract comes to an end, but club chair Thlopie Motsepe said on Monday Sundowns will be having discussions with the 53-year-old Portuguese in the coming weeks.

Though he won the trophy the club craved the most, Cardoso was heavily criticised by supporters for failing to defend the eight-in-succession streak in the Betway Premiership, which was ceded to treble-winning Orlando Pirates, or win a domestic trophy in 2025-26.

“We will obviously go into the next few months now and have discussions,” said Motsepe after the players returned from Morocco with the Champions League trophy on Monday night.

“We are in a more positive position than when we had discussions before the coach joined the club. That’s what I should say for now in respect of the coach and the discussions that we are going to have.”

Motsepe said when he interacted with the supporters at the airport while waiting for the players to arrive, some asked for Cardoso to stay at the club.

“The coach will not know this but I arrived here at the airport about 40 minutes before the team arrived and I spent some time with the supporters.

“Barring them asking me about when the team was arriving, almost all of them asked where the coach was. Some even demanded that the coach must stay.

“Maybe that is the answer to the previous question, which asked how he has fared in terms of affection from the Sundowns supporters.”

Cardoso has delivered the “big fish” and Motsepe said the challenge for the future was how Downs reach even a higher level.

“When we brought the coach to the club, there was an objective we wanted to achieve. We wanted to make sure the team could reach another level and achieve something special, and we have done that.

Obviously my wish is to stay and finish my career at Mamelodi Sundowns

—  Themba Zwane

“Now the question is, can we do even better? Can we continue writing the special story we have written so far this season?

“I believe the club is heading in the right direction.”

Zwane, the 36-year-old veteran who had been South Africa’s best creative player the past decade, has seen little action over the past two seasons as he struggled with injuries. The Bafana Bafana star, who has a one-year contract, said he wants to end his career at the club.

“To be honest, I don’t [clearly know what my future is] and I don’t want to lie. Now I am enjoying this moment with the guys and we will see as time goes by.

“Obviously my wish is to stay on and finish my career at Mamelodi Sundowns.”

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