Mamelodi Sundowns must win a treble this season, says Teko Modise

Teko Modise believes Mamelodi Sundowns must win three trophies this season after ending the previous campaign without domestic silverware, despite lifting the CAF Champions League.

The Brazilians claimed the biggest prize in African football last season, securing a second star, but their domestic campaign ended empty-handed in the 2026/26 season.

Orlando Pirates took advantage by winning all three major domestic trophies: the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and Carling Knockout.

Sundowns and Orlando Pirates will meet in the MTN8 final next month, providing the first opportunity for Miguel Cardoso’s side to begin rebuilding their trophy collection. Modise expects that recovery to go further than one cup.

Speaking on the Sundowns’ Two-Touch Podcast, the former club player said the reigning continental champions had enough quality to compete for every honour, while acknowledging the difficulties faced by a team adapting to new players and maintaining results.

“There’s a lot of players that still need to acclimatise to the team, and still need to acclimatise to the team, but what’s a better way to do it than an official game? But for me, it just gives us more depth and quality, gets tested a little bit early, early on so that actually as to then what type of players do you have, because everybody can be good on paper, come to your acclimatising to Sundowns’ style of play. It’s very, very difficult. And for the coaches still being able to manage and get results, positive results.”

Modise said Sundowns needed to improve defensively, particularly after conceding goals and allowing opponents to put them under sustained pressure.

“I think the biggest question for me is, it will be like, when are we going to go back to defending a bit better, not conceding goals. Let’s go back to clean sheets, very difficult to do, but yes, we’ll need those, but also maybe coming again to understand this, then we get to games where sometimes I feel when I’m watching, I’m like, But why are we having so are we having opponents kicking us so much, right? And then how then, as footballers, then you’re able to like, okay… come kick. It’s fine. I’ll still be able to play my way, right?”

Modise sets treble target

Modise said Sundowns’ status as one of the continent’s strongest teams meant they had to find ways to deal with injuries, suspensions and the physical demands of the campaign.

“So maybe the easier way for me to stop you is to do those type of things. So let’s just accept who we are, but find ways as to then how then you play, because the injuries are going to come, the suspensions are going to come. Already we’re sitting on too many yellow cards early on into the season. So that’s alarming. But yet again, if we can clean those out a little bit earlier on, because they are important games that are going to come through.”

The former midfielder nevertheless remained confident in the direction of the club and the quality of Cardoso’s squad.

“But I still believe that we’re on the right track. I still believe that we have the right specimen to be able to go all the way. Because I’ll say Sundowns needs to win a treble this season. They have to win a treble this season.”