Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has insisted that the team’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup will be for all of Africa.
The ‘Brazilians’ became the first team from the continent to welcome the FIFA Club World Cup trophy at their base, Chloorkop, Gauteng, yesterday, February 6, ahead of the tournament in June.
The United States (US) will host the 32-team tournament, and Africa will be represented by four teams: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), and Espérance De Tunis (Tunisia).
Motsepe’s speech centered on hope for Africa.
“Today, we are celebrating the FIFA Club World Cup trophy coming to Africa… We have a very rare opportunity to share this trophy with our fellow Africans, many of whom will not get the chance to see this trophy in any other circumstance. So for the next few days, whilst this trophy is in South Africa and with the help of some of our special players, we are going to take this trophy to the schools in the townships, we are going to take this trophy to the community centers, and we are going to take this trophy to the media stations,” Motsepe asserted.
While the trophy will tour other countries, Sundowns would like to bring it home again by winning the tournament, which will kick off on 14 June – 13 July, 2025.
“Because it’s important that Africans, all Africans, can see this symbol of achievement and gain their own sense of inspiration so they can stand tall on their own podiums in the future, and that’s what it means for us as Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club,” he said.
Motsepe added, “This is a club that uses sport and football to inspire people, to give people hope.
“In four months’ time, when Coach Miguel Cardoso and our special players find themselves on American shores competing against the best clubs in the world, even though they’d know they are not playing in Africa, they’ll also know that now they are playing for Africa.”
The Tshwane team is in Group F and will kick off their campaign against South Korean outfit Ulsan on 18 June, before taking on the Brazilians, Fluminense, and German club Borussia Dortmund.
