Cardoso surprised by Allende’s lack of PSL Midfielder of the Season recognition

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso says it is “very surprising” that Marcelo Allende has received only one nomination for the Premier Soccer League Midfielder of the Season award despite his consistent performances since moving to South Africa.

The Chilean midfielder joined Sundowns from Uruguayan club Montevideo City Torque ahead of the 2022/23 season and has since become an important part of the Brazilians’ midfield.

Allende was again recognised after helping Sundowns beat Golden Arrows 3-2 to reach the MTN8 final. He was named Man of the Match following another influential display, his second consecutive award after receiving the honour in Sundowns’ previous match.

The latest individual recognition led Cardoso to consider the 26-year-old’s record in the PSL, where he has established himself as one of the key players in the Masandawana squad.

“Regarding Marcelo. I told that when he received his Man of the Match (award), I think it is the second one in a row, so he got the last match also,” Cardoso told journalists.

“For me, it’s a very surprising thing that Marcelo is performing consistently in South Africa for so many years and still hasn’t really received an award for midfielder of the season, especially when we see a winger receiving that trophy.

“But it’s also something that’s in the past. What we need to think about is what we’re going to do this season so that in the end, we put ourselves in the position where we want to be.

“And no one at Sundowns has a big interest in fighting for individual trophies unless those trophies mean that the team did well. And then we accept individuality, of course.”

Allende has been shortlisted for the PSL Midfielder of the Season award only once since arriving at Sundowns. That nomination came during the 2024/25 campaign, when he was competing against Orlando Pirates’ Makhehleni Makhaula and his Sundowns team-mate Teboho Mokoena.

Makhaula won the award that season, leaving Allende without the individual prize despite his continued importance to Sundowns.

Cardoso said the club’s priority remained collective success rather than personal honours. He suggested that individual awards were welcome when they reflected a successful campaign for the team, but were not the main objective for the reigning domestic force.

Sundowns will now turn their attention to the MTN8 final, where they will face Orlando Pirates. The venue for the match has yet to be confirmed.

The fixture will see the two clubs compete for the first major domestic trophy of the new season, with Sundowns aiming to build on their progress in the competition and Pirates preparing for a final against the side they overcame for Allende’s only midfield award nomination.