Unbeaten in a year – Mlu Mdletshe looks at what separates Mamelodi Sundowns from the rest of the clubs in DStv Premiership… with analysts already hailing them as the best club in the country.
Downs are the most successful football club in the South African PSL era. They have 12 Premiership titles, while Chiefs and Pirates have four apiece.
They haven’t lost a league match in 365 days and continue to enjoy a perfect start to the new season after winning their opening six games – already establishing an eight-point gap on second-placed Golden Arrows.
Here is what sets them apart:
Technical Ability, Squad depth and Player Quality
Technical ability is a crucial aspect of a player’s overall skill set. Sundowns have a long list of players with strong technical abilities which makes them more effective on the field, as they can pass accurately, dribble past opponents, and execute various maneuvers with precision.
The club has also prioritized developing and honing technical skills in their players as they recognize that it is a fundamental part of a team’s strengths and development as a unit.
Along with the individual quality of players such as Ronwen Williams, Sundowns are able to build organized attacks from the backline to the front with ease.
They also Possess players with strong technical skills such Teboho Mokoena and Allende which helps them maintain control of their games by keeping possession of the ball. This style of play can frustrate opponents as it sees the Brazilians dictate the pace of the match.
Thapelo Maseko:
— 🅨🅔🅛🅛🅞🅜🅐🅝 (@YELL0MAN) September 5, 2023
"From moment I arrived,I could sense passion & ambition that surrounds this great club.Level of professionalism & dedication among coaching staff & players is truly inspiring, & it’s evident that Chloorkop is place where winning mentalities thrive”#Sundowns pic.twitter.com/gQb4QWtZuf
Coaching staff
In June, head coach Rhulani Mokwena reached an agreement regarding a four-year contract extension, which will see the coach stay at Chloorkop until 2027.
Testament to Mamelodi Sundowns’ investment and belief in the youth, academy players and their coaching staff, is that Coach Rulani started his journey at Sundowns as a youth development coach.
His assistant coach a 53-year-old Manqoba Mnqithi, has decades of experirice in SA football and has been at Sundowns for the past decade since first arriving as assistant coach to Pitso Mosimane after spells at Golden Arrows, AmaZulu, and Chippa United as a head coach in the South African top-flight.
Over and above that, the club boasts a 24-man technical team, showing their long-term plan as well as just how much they have adopted European standards of coaching.
'There will be more changes,' says Mokwena on Sundowns' coaching staff @BraMahlatse story:https://t.co/ut0o6tGKdx via @TimesLIVE
— Marc Strydom (@marc_strydom) December 29, 2022
Recruitment
Rhulani Mokwena has often said that they want their upcoming stars to feel the pressure that comes with first-team football – hence his determination to include a few of them in match day squads every now and then.
Cassius Mailula is the latest starlet to stand out for the club, after being a huge hit in the leage and for Bafana Bafana before joining the growing list of South Africans in the money-spinning Major Soccer League (MLS).
We caught up with @coach_rulani to chat about the recruitment of our new signings! Head to our website to read the full story! 👆
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) January 31, 2022
📲 https://t.co/vbx9DDzVVm#Sundowns pic.twitter.com/EXRud2Idh0
Continental Ranking
For the first time in their history, Sundowns sit comfortable at the summit of Africa Football Clubs Rankings after overtaking Egyptian giants Al Ahly. This is according to Footballdatabase.com, who published the latest rankings earlier in the year.
𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔
— #UNPLAYABLE (@UnplayableZA) September 9, 2023
(Based on current Opta Power Rankings)
1. Mamelodi Sundowns 🇿🇦
2. Al Ahly 🇪🇬
3. Wydad Casablanca 🇲🇦
4. FAR Rabat 🇲🇦
5. Raja Casablanca 🇲🇦
6. Pyramids 🇪🇬
7. FUS Rabat 🇲🇦
8. Orlando Pirates 🇿🇦
9. Simba 🇹🇿
10. Young Africans 🇹🇿#UNPLAYABLE pic.twitter.com/cgXQqIGyiL
Financial muscle
Mamelodi Sundowns is arguably the richest football club in South Africa in 2023, with an estimated net worth of R382 million.
Business mogul Patrice Motsepe owns Sundowns. The team has a net worth of $11 million ($26.33 million), making it the richest football club in South Africa. Additionally, the club has produced some of the wealthiest soccer players in the country.
"I’d say that we can learn from Sundowns."
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) March 28, 2023
Siphiwe Tshabalala has disagreed with Kaizer Chiefs legend Jabu Mahlangu over his criticism that Mamelodi Sundowns’ spending power is "killing Bafana Bafana" and "destroying the DStv Premiership". https://t.co/maaqsoVVVu pic.twitter.com/mZVOln0BZ3
Steadily growing fan base
With almost 300 branches spread across South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and even in the USA, Mamelodi Sundowns has emerged as a fast-growing brand on the African scene.
Football analysts, club legends and media reports have tipped Mamelodi Sundowns to be the most supported club in the country in years to come. The Brazilians are still a bit behind their fierce rivals, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, based on the stadium attendance and social media interactions.
But their dominance in local football has seen them attract more supporters, and are now slowly outnumbering the likes of AmaZulu and SuperSport United in matches.
Picture of Rhulani Mokwena greeting 51 000 fans at Mamelodi Sundowns home ground know as FNB Stadium pic.twitter.com/NJPMVERpIt
— Frugal (@tumeloditle) September 5, 2023
Trophy Cabinet
The Brazilians have clinched the Premier League title eleven record times from 1996. They also hold the three National Soccer League Championships joint record, becoming South Africa’s most successful football club in the modern era. In total, Mamelodi Sundowns FC trophies are over 28.
They have won every title since 2018 and taken their tally of league crowns to 16, four more than Chiefs, who they have usurped over the last seasons, and seven more than Pirates.
Mamelodi Sundowns add a 20th trophy to their cabinet in the PSL era, drawing level with Kaizer Chiefs.
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 12, 2020
⚠️ Flash photography 📸 pic.twitter.com/3UveJO8uSe
