Miguel Cardoso urges fans to back Mamelodi Sundowns amid warm-up jeers

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso expressed his disappointment after some supporters jeered his players during the warm-up ahead of Tuesday’s 1-0 Betway Premiership victory over AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

“I didn’t like seeing Sundowns players being booed in the warm-up. The Masandawana family needs to stay united,” Cardoso said, following Marcelo Allende’s late winner.

“These players work incredibly hard. They don’t deserve to step onto the pitch and warm up in front of fans calling for them to be substituted.”

Addressing claims that he favors certain players, Cardoso was emphatic that all squad members are treated equally.

“As Sundowns coach, I don’t have ‘sons’ in the team. I focus on strategies, moments, and the players available, giving energy to everyone equally. It’s never about nationality, race, or background,” he explained.

“Education taught me to see people as human beings, and that’s how I approach every player. No one in the team receives special privileges. Decisions on team selection are based on what’s best for the moment, and what I want is the best for Mamelodi Sundowns. That’s built through daily hard work together.”

Cardoso emphasized the importance of solidarity between fans and players, especially ahead of Sunday’s league clash with Sekhukhune United.

“We need our supporters’ backing—not for me, but for the players. Coaches are easy to like when we win and criticized when we don’t. It’s vital that fans support the team at all times because we take our job very seriously,” he concluded.