Miguel Cardoso commits future to Mamelodi Sundowns with new contract

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has ended uncertainty over his future by signing a new contract with the club.

The agreement emerged on Wednesday, with the Portuguese manager confirming that the terms of his deal had been changed during the South African off-season. Cardoso said the decision reflected the shared values between his technical team and the club’s leadership, as well as the respect he has received in his role.

Speaking to the media at Sundowns’ base in Chloorkop before Saturday’s MTN8 final, the 54-year-old said the contract discussions had been concluded earlier rather than being prompted by the upcoming match.

“Look, that situation already came, nothing was done now, everything was done in the summer, (winter in South Africa, during the off-season),” Cardoso said.

“It’s clear that both the club and I share the same values in terms of how we see football.”

He added: “The technical staff is very happy to be in the club, the club is showing happiness in having us, so we changed the terms we had.”

Cardoso’s immediate focus is now on delivering domestic silverware, with Sundowns facing Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

The match will be Cardoso’s first opportunity to win the competition since taking charge of the Brazilians. Sundowns have not lifted the top-eight trophy since 2021 and will be seeking to end their wait against the defending champions.

The final will also give Sundowns the chance to halt Orlando Pirates’ recent dominance of the competition. Both clubs will contest the first major piece of domestic silverware of the season in what is expected to be a high-profile meeting between two of South Africa’s leading sides.

Cardoso said the new agreement had strengthened his motivation to continue guiding Sundowns, with the club’s ambitions and his own footballing principles aligned.

His contract announcement removes speculation about his tenure at Chloorkop just before a major test of the team’s domestic credentials. The Portuguese coach will now attempt to mark his fresh commitment to Sundowns by securing his first MTN8 title on Saturday.