Mamelodi Sundowns target domestic cup, league and Champions League success

Mamelodi Sundowns will pursue three major objectives this season: winning a domestic cup, reclaiming the league title and retaining the Champions League, defender Aubrey Modiba says.

The Brazilians begin their bid for a first domestic cup triumph since 2022 when they face Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarter-final at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday at 18:00.

Sundowns have not lifted a local cup in about four years, and Modiba says ending that wait is an important priority for coach Miguel Cardoso’s side.

“We haven’t won a local cup competition in about four years and we want to go back to winning local tournaments,” the Bafana Bafana left-back said.

The South African club’s ambitions extend beyond the MTN8. Sundowns’ eight-season run of consecutive league titles was ended by Pirates last campaign, and Modiba wants the Premiership trophy back.

“You win the [2025-26] Champions League and crash out in the MTN8, it won’t look great to our supporters and everyone associated with the team. We need to keep the momentum going in this tournament because it has been a long time since we won a domestic trophy.”

The defender said winning the league would also provide Sundowns with another route back to the Champions League, where they are determined to build on their recent success.

“We want to win the league again because the feeling of losing it was not nice. Some of us never experienced it, so we want to go back to that feeling of winning the league every season. It is important to win the league because if you do you go back to the Champions League. We always want to do well in the Champions League and get our gold badge back.

“Congratulations to Pirates. They deserve it. It is a marathon we know how to run very well and let the game begin.”

Sundowns won their second Champions League title after beating FAR Rabat of Morocco 2-1 on aggregate in the final. Modiba said the squad has already discussed the possibility of claiming the continental crown again.

“Winning the Champions League is one of the first things we talk about. This star on our emblem is going to be here forever and our names are going to be mentioned as part of that history.

“We play for making history and we want to leave the jersey in a better place than we found it. We want to add more stars to the jersey because we try to win everything. We are grateful for the second star on the jersey and hopefully we can add the third one.”

The start of Sundowns’ campaign has also been overshadowed by the death of midfielder Jayden Adams, who died in the off-season in Cape Town by apparent suicide after returning from representing Bafana Bafana at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Modiba acknowledged the effect of the tragedy on the club and the wider country, saying the players had initially struggled to understand how to respond.

“We are trying but it has not been easy for us. It is a difficult moment for the team and the country. You can see how the whole world celebrated his life. You could see the impact he left and for us it is to continue celebrating his life. This came as a shock to everyone and we didn’t know how to deal with it at first.”

Sundowns must now continue their season while living with the absence of Adams in the dressing room, Modiba added.

“We don’t have a choice but to learn to live with the fact that he is no longer with us in the change room. We think about him all the time because of the impact he made in the team and everyone’s lives. He was quiet [as a person] but you could feel his presence. He must continue to rest in peace.”