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Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.

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Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club (simply known as Sundowns) is a South African professional football club based in Mamelodi, Pretoria in the Gauteng province that plays in the Premier Soccer League, the first tier of South African football league system. Founded in the 1970s, the team plays its home games in the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.

Mamelodi Sundowns
The logo of Mamelodi Sundowns F.C.png
Full nameMamelodi Sundowns Football Club
Nickname(s)
  • Bafana ba Style
  • Masandawana
  • Ka bo Yellow
  • Shoe Shine and Piano
  • The Brazilians
Short nameSundowns, SUN, MSD
Founded1970; 53 years ago (1970)
GroundLoftus Versfeld Stadium
Capacity51,762
OwnerPatrice Motsepe
ChairmanTlhopie Motsepe
Head coachRhulani Mokwena
LeagueDStv Premiership
2021–221st (champions)
WebsiteClub website
Current season
Active departments of
Mamelodi Sundowns
Football pictogram.svg Football pictogram.svg Football pictogram.svg
Football (Men's) Football (Youth Mixed) Football (Women's)

Sundowns have won the Premier League title a record 12 times since its inception in 1996, hold the joint record of 3 National Soccer League Championships and have won 15 league titles in total. It is currently the most successful football club in the South African PSL era. They won the 2016 CAF Champions League, 2017 CAF Super Cup and were voted the 2016 CAF Club of the Year. Domestically, they have also won the Nedbank Cup six times, the MTN 8 four times and the Telkom Knockout four times. They are the first South African team to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they finished in 6th place.

Sundowns is owned by South African business magnate Patrice Motsepe and is one of the most valuable clubs in Africa, by market value.[1] The club takes pride in its unique style of attacking play, locally dubbed "Shoe Shine & Piano" which includes combinations of quick, short passes on the ground and this is likened to the Spanish Tiki-taka. Over the years, this style of play has been reflected in its Youth teams and Women's football team. In 2021, Sundowns became the first club in Africa to win both CAF Champions League and CAF Women's Champions League titles.

HistoryEdit

Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club originated around Marabastad, a cosmopolitan area north west of the Pretoria CBD.

The club was originally formed in the early 1960s by a group of friends ( Philanthropist and Businessman Fish Kekana, Dr. Motsiri Itsweng and Dr. Bonnie Sebotsane) among whom were an official football club in 1970.

The club was affiliated to the Federation Professional Football League in 1973 and in the same year reached the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup, where they played against Berea United and lost 5–3.

In 1978, the Federation Professional League threw their weight behind the then National Professional Football League. This meant the end of the Federation Professional League and the subsequent relegation of Sundowns to the second division.

For five years 'Downs battled to gain promotion and during that period the Sundowns' management resolved to disband the club, but instead the club relocated to Mamelodi in the early 1980s.

In 1985, South African football was the first sport to become non-racial and the National Soccer League was formed, incorporating the top clubs in the country.

Sundowns earned promotion to the NPSL in 1983, but in their first season in top-flight football, they found the going difficult until new owner Zola Mahobe came on board in 1985 and appointed Ben Segale as their coach. Under Mahobe, Sundowns fortunes changed for the better as they began to challenge for top honours in the domestic league. The big spending Sundowns boss recruited the services of elite South African footballers on a quest for supremacy, and changed their kit to resemble that of the Brazilian national team, earning them their nickname, "the Brazilians".[2] Mahobe went to Soweto to acquire the services of the highly rated coach Stanley "Screamer" Tshabalala, who was assisting Blackpool at the time, to lead the ambitious Sundowns team. Under the tutelage of Screamer Tshabalala, Sundowns played an entertaining and effective brand of football which became known as "The Shoe Shine and Piano" and won various major trophies in the process to cement the club as one of the powerhouse of the South African football.

In 1988, the ownership of the club fell into the hands of Standard Bank, which repossessed the club from Zola Mahobe. The club went into liquidation and the football family Angelo and Natasha Tsichlas spoke to the bank and saved the club. They then formed a company with Abe Krok and bought 100% of the club. Under the Tsichlas/Krok leadership Sundowns became the best[vague] team in South Africa. They won the first NSL League Trophy with Angelo Tsichlas as coach.

Premier Soccer LeagueEdit

National Soccer League was replaced by Premier Soccer League for the 1996–97 season. Sundowns won three consecutive titles from 1998 to 2000 as well as being Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 1998 and Rothmans Cup winners in 1999.

After dominating the local league by winning the league title three times in a row, Sundowns extended their focus to continental glory. In 2001, the club became only the second South African team to reach the prestigious CAF Champions League when they defeated Petro Atlético in the semifinals to reach their first continental cup final. The club reached the final of the 2001 CAF Champions League where they were defeated 4–1 on aggregate by Egyptian club Al Ahly.

Under Tsichlas, the team won more trophies than any other team in South Africa.

In 2004, mining magnate Patrice Motsepe bought a 51% share in the club and later took total control of the club by buying the remaining shares, thus becoming the sole owner and shareholder of the club. Under their new owner, Sundowns picked up their first piece of silverware for six years in May 2006 when co-coaches Miguel Gamondi and Neil Tovey oversaw Sundowns' triumph in the PSL, the seventh league title in their history.

After a slow start to the 2006–07 season, Gamondi and Tovey were relieved of their positions, and Gordon Igesund took over as head coach. Under Igesund, Sundowns defended their title in emphatic style, running away with the trophy. They failed to win the 'double', losing to Ajax Cape Town in the 2007 ABSA Cup final.

After a stuttering start to the 2009–10 season, an impressive run through the second half of the season saw the club to second position in the final league standings. The club nevertheless parted ways with coach Hristo Stoichkov.

In the 2010–11 season, Antonio Lopez Habas, who was the assistant coach under Stoichkov, took over the reins of the senior team. Sundowns made its best ever start to a League season and topped the league standings at the end of the first round. The second round of the league proved more competitive and Sundowns were in the hunt for the league title until the second last match. Habas resigned in February, citing personal reasons and went back to Spain. Assistant coach Ian Gorowa was appointed as interim head coach.

In 2011 highly rated Dutch tactician Johan Neeskens was appointed as the coach of Sundowns in a bid to awaken the sleeping giant that hadn't won silverware since winning the 2008 Nedbank cup. The Dutch-born coach gave a number of young players from the development team opportunities to impress in the senior team. Even though the Dutch mentor made the team play free-flowing and an entertaining brand of football, his failure to capture silverware led to his demise. In 2012, under the leadership of Neeskens, the club lost the 2012 Nedbank final 2–1 to Tshwane rivals Supersport United. His coaching stint at Chloorkop was short-lived as the impatient and demanding Sundowns supporters exerted pressure to the management to sack him. When the team failed to win the 2012 Telkom Knockout final against Bloemfontein Celtic, Neeskens got sacked as the head coach of the Tshwane-based side as the team was also languishing in the relegation zone.

On 2 December 2012, Pitso Mosimane took over as head coach and under his leadership Mamelodi Sundowns won the 2013/2014, 2015/2016, 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 league titles. Mosimane oversaw the rise of Sundowns to win the CAF Champions League, which was the goal of owner Patrice Motsepe when he bought the club in 2004. In 2017, Sundowns became the second team in South Africa, after Orlando Pirates F.C., to win the CAF Super Cup by defeating TP Mazembe from the DRC.

On 4 March 2012, the team set a remarkable South African record in the Nedbank Cup when they beat Powerlines by a score of 24–0.[3][4]

2016Edit

Starting lineup for CAF Champions League 2016 Final, 1st leg

Sundowns were eliminated in the preliminary rounds of the 2016 CAF Champions League, but were placed back in the competition after Congolese team Vita Club were disqualified from the competition for fielding a suspended player.[5] In their journey for gold, Sundowns opened their campaign with an annulled 2–0 win against Algeria's ES Setif courtesy of Mabunda and Khama Billiat goals.

Despite the disappointment of losing 3 points, that did not halt their performance. On 26 June 2016, they faced Nigeria club Enyimba International F.C. in the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium. They defeated the Nigerians 2–1 with goals from Leonardo Castro and Wayne Arendse in the 42nd and 78th minutes, respectively. Their good form continued to Egypt, defeating Egyptian club Zamalek SC with a goal from Mabunda in the 17th minute, followed by an Ibrahim leveller in the 36th minute, prevailing with a 66th-minute goal from their star player Khama Billiat, which ended the match in favour of the Brazilians 2–1. They repeated this in the 2nd leg by beating the Egyptian club 1–0 with an own goal from Ali Gabr in the 79th minute. The win assured 'Downs a place in the semifinals, but they needed to end their group stage campaign on a high away against Enyimba. Playing with young players, 'Downs succumbed to their first defeat by 3–1 on a rainy slippery field.

In the semifinals, they faced Zambian team ZESCO United at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, where they lost to quick succession goals just a minute apart in the 54th and 56th minutes from Mwanza. Billiat netted a goal in the 86th minute to bring the score to 2–1, leaving 'Downs with much to do in the second leg. In the second leg, 'Downs did what was needed of them by winning the match 2–0, thanks to a goal from Liberian Anthony Laffor in the 5th minute and the young Percy Tau in the 64th minute. Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. reached the final of the competition for the first time since the 2001 CAF Champions League final (where they lost to Al Ahly SC). They also reached the 4th final for South African clubs (1 win and 2 losses).

In the final, they beat Egypt's Zamalek SC 3–1 on aggregate, claiming their first-ever continental title and becoming only the second South African team to be crowned champions of Africa.[5]

HonoursEdit

Type Competition Titles Seasons
Domestic Premier Soccer League 12 Winners (12): 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
Runners-up (3): 2009–10, 2014–15, 2016–17
National Soccer League 3S Winners (3): 1988, 1989–90, 1992–93
Runners-up (2): 1990–91, 1994–95
Nedbank Cup 6 Winners (6): 1986, 1998, 2008, 2014–15, 2019–20, 2021–22
Runners-up (5): 1989, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2011–12
Telkom Knockout 4 Winners (4): 1990, 1999, 2015, 2019
Runners-up (4): 1997, 1998, 2007, 2012
MTN 8 4 Winners (4): 1988, 1990, 2007, 2021
Runners-up (6): 1992, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2016
African CAF Champions League 1 Winners (1): 2016  
Runners-up (1): 2001
CAF Super Cup 1 Winners (1): 2017
  •   Record
  • S Shared record

AwardsEdit

  • African Club of the Year 2016
  • South African team of the year 2016
  • PSL team of the season 2015–16, 2013–14

Friendly cup competitionsEdit

Shell Helix Cup Winners : 2018

Telkom Charity Cup

  • Winners(5) : 1991, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006

Carling Black Label Cup

Ohlsson's Challenge Cup

  • Winners : 1988

Performance in CAF CompetitionsEdit

NB: South African football clubs started participating in CAF Competitions in 1993, after 16 years of being banned from FIFA due to the apartheid system. The ban extended from 1976 to 1992.

The club has 1 appearance in African Cup of Champions Clubs 1994 and 14 appearances in CAF Champions League from 1999 until now. It has also recorded the biggest victory in the CAF Champions League by defeating Seychelles side Côte d’Or, 11–1 at home and 16–1 on aggregate in the first round of the 2019–2020 season.[6]

Year Best finish
1994 Second Round
1999 Play-offs
2000 Group Stage (Top 4)
2001 Finalist
2006 First Round
2007 Play-offs
2008 Play-offs
2015 First Round
2016 Champion
2017 Quarterfinals
2018 Group Stage
2018–19 Semi final
2019–20 Quarterfinals
2020–21 Quarterfinals
2021–22 Quarterfinals
Year Best finish
CAF Confederation Cup CAF Super Cup
2007 Group Stage DNQ
2008 Play-offs DNQ
2009 Second Round DNQ
2016 Play-offs DNQ
2017 DNQ Champion
Year Best finish
CAF Cup African Cup winners' Cup
1996 Second Round DNQ
1998 DNQ Second Round
2003 Second Round DNQ
Note
  • DNQ - Did Not Qualify
  • CAF announced on 24 May 2016 that Mamelodi Sundowns won on walkover after AS Vita Club were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player in their preliminary round tie against Mafunzo. Mamelodi Sundowns played in the Confederation Cup play-off round before they were reinstated to the Champions League.[7]

Overall matchesEdit

Competition P W D L GF GA
CAF Cup 8 4 1 3 11 7
African Cup Winners' Cup 4 2 1 1 7 3
CAF Champions League 111 57 28 26 175 96
CAF Confederation Cup 16 7 2 7 25 24
CAF Super Cup 1 1 0 0 1 0
Total 140 71 32 37 220 130
As of 9 March 2020

CAF Association ranking for 2019/20Edit

Legend
Rank Association 2015
(× 1)		 2016
(× 2)		 2017
(× 3)		 2018
(× 4)		 2018–19
(× 5)		 Total
CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC CL CC
1   Tunisia 0 6 0 3 7 5 9 0 8 6 154
2   Morocco 2 0 4 4 6 3 5 7 5 7 153
3   Egypt 1 6 7 0 7 0.5 5 3 4 5 120.5
4   Algeria 8 0 0 4 4 2 5 2 5 1 92
5   DR Congo 6 0 0 5 1 5 3 4 5 0 87
6   South Africa 0 4 6 0 3 4.5 2 0 6 0 76.5
As of 13 January 2020

Club rankingEdit

Club ranking is used for seeding in the CAF competitions.

Legend
Rank Club 2015
(× 1)		 2016
(× 2)		 2017
(× 3)		 2018
(× 4)		 2018–19
(× 5)		 Total
1   Espérance de Tunis 0.5 0 3 6 6 63.5
2   TP Mazembe 6 5 5 3 4 63
2   Wydad Casablanca 0 4 6 3 5 63
4   Al-Ahly 3 2 5 5 3 57
5   Étoile du Sahel 5 3 4 3 3 50
6   Mamelodi Sundowns 0 6 3 2 4 49
As of 13 January 2020

Performance in FIFA Club World CupEdit

Mamelodi was the first football club from Southern Africa to represent CAF in FIFA Club World Cup, following their 2016 CAF Champions League success.

Year Finish P W D L GF GA GD Pst
2016 6th place 2 0 0 2 1 6 -5 0
Total 2 0 0 2 1 6 -5 0
As of 18 December 2016

Club recordsEdit

RecordsEdit

Type Nat Name Record
Most trophies won - Player   Kennedy Mweene 12
Most Trophies Won - Coach   Pitso Mosimane 11
Most starts   Daniel Mudau 390
Most goals   Daniel Mudau 172
Most capped player   Katlego Mphela 32
Most starts in a season   Themba Mnguni 48 (1997–98)
Most goals in a season   Bennett Masinga 33 (1990)
Record victory   vs Powerlines 24–0 (4 March 2012, Nedbank Cup)
Inter-record victory   vs Al Ahly 5–0 (6 April 2019, CAF Champions League)
Record defeat   vs Africa Sports 1–6 (4 November 2000, CAF Champions League)

Source:[8]

Premier Soccer League recordEdit

Season Pos Record
P W D L F A GD Pst Nedbank Cup
1996–97 6th 34 13 11 10 35 30 5 50
1997–98 CHAMPIONS 34 19 11 4 48 25 23 68
1998–99 CHAMPIONS 34 23 6 5 70 26 44 75
1999–00 CHAMPIONS 34 23 6 5 68 34 34 75
2000–01 3rd 34 17 8 9 58 32 26 59
2001–02 5th 34 15 11 8 47 32 15 56
2002–03 10th 30 11 6 13 30 30 0 39
2003–04 10th 30 8 12 10 32 32 0 36
2004–05 3rd 30 16 8 6 54 28 26 56
2005–06 CHAMPIONS 30 16 9 5 45 19 26 57
2006–07 CHAMPIONS 30 18 7 5 45 17 28 61
2007–08 4th 30 13 8 9 40 35 5 47
2008–09 9th 30 11 7 12 28 28 0 40
2009–10 2nd 30 16 8 6 43 23 20 56
2010–11 4th 30 18 4 8 52 28 24 58
2011–12 4th 30 14 10 6 44 23 21 52
2012–13 9th 30 9 12 9 31 27 4 39
2013–14 CHAMPIONS 30 20 5 5 51 25 26 65
2014–15 2nd 30 16 9 5 44 24 20 57
2015–16 CHAMPIONS 30 22 5 3 55 20 35 71
2016–17 2nd 30 16 9 5 52 20 32 57
2017–18 CHAMPIONS 30 18 6 6 49 24 25 60
2018–19 CHAMPIONS 30 16 11 3 40 24 16 59
2019–20 CHAMPIONS 30 17 8 5 43 22 21 59
2020-21 CHAMPIONS 30 19 10 1 49 14 35 67
2021-22 CHAMPIONS 30 19 8 3 56 20 36 65
Total 12 Titles 781 410 208 163 1162 644 518
  • Orange = In progress
  • Gold = Champions
  • Silver = Runner up
As of 6 June 2021

Management and staffEdit

Position Nat. Name
Owner   Patrice Motsepe
Chairman   Tlhopane Motsepe
General Manager  
Directors   Rejoice Simelane, Andrew Matube, Andre Wilkens, Sandile Langa
Executive: Legal & Commercial   Yogesh Singh
Supporter Mobilisation Manager   Alex Shakoane
Supporter Co-ordination Manager   Daniel Mudau
Finance Manager  
Administration Manager   Belinda Ndlovu
Facilities & Projects Manager
Marketing & Special Projects Manager  
Communications Co-ordinator   Mashupie Nkgadima
Supporters Assistant   Daisy Kgopa
Accountant   Jacob Molusi
HR and Administration   Boniface Motsepe
Receptionist   Tina Lesita

Technical teamEdit

Position Nat. Name
Sporting Director   Flemming Berg[9]
Head Coach   Rulani Mokwena
First Team Coach   Steve Komphela
Senior Coach   Manqoba Mngqithi
Goalkeeper Coach   Wendell Robinson
Strength & Conditioning Coach   Riedoh Berdien
Senior Performance Analyst   Goolam Valodia
Opposition Analyst   Mario Masha
Head of Medical   Dr. Carl Tabane
Team Doctor   Dr. Paul Maphoto
Senior Physiotherapist   Sakhumzi Ngwevela
Team Physiotherapist   Godfrey Sepuru
Head of Methodology & Academy   Shawn R. Bishop
Scout   Esrom Nyandoro
Team Manager   Peter Ndlovu
Scout & Coordinator - South America

 

Bhekumuzi Sifuba


Source:[10]

PlayersEdit

As of 16 August 2022

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   ZAM Kennedy Mweene
3 DF   RSA Rushine De Reuck
4 MF   RSA Teboho Mokoena
5 DF   RSA Mosa Lebusa
6 DF   KEN Brian Onyango
8 MF   RSA Bongani Zungu
10 FW   URU Gastón Sirino
11 FW   CHI Marcelo Allende
12 FW   RSA Thabiso Kutumela
14 GK   UGA Denis Onyango
15 MF   RSA Andile Jali
17 MF   RSA Aubrey Modiba
18 MF   RSA Themba Zwane
19 MF   RSA Gift Motupa
21 MF   RSA Sphelele Mkhulise
22 FW   RSA Lesedi Kapinga
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF   RSA Haashim Domingo
24 MF   RSA Sipho Mbule
25 DF   RSA Khuliso Mudau
27 DF   RSA Thapelo Morena
28 FW   ETH Abubeker Nassir
29 MF   RSA Bradley Ralani
31 FW   RSA Pule Maraisane
32 GK   RSA Ronwen Williams
33 MF   RSA Cassius Mailula
35 MF   RSA Neo Maema
36 FW   RSA Promise Mkhuma
38 FW   NAM Peter Shalulile
39 MF   BOL Erwin Saavedra
40 DF   RSA Rivaldo Coetzee
41 MF   RSA Mothobi Mvala
— FW   RSA Lebohang Maboe

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturerEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ "Most valuable football clubs in Africa as of the 2021/2022 season, by market value". mirror. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ "How did Mamelodi Sundowns get their name? - Goalpedia - Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Sundowns make South African history with 24–0 win". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Downs thrash Powerlines in record win". Sundowns FC. 4 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Mortada Mansour blames sorcery for Zamalek African Champions League defeat". The Guardian. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  6. ^ Football, CAF-Confedération Africaine du. "Sundowns break the record – Biggest victories in CAF Champions League history". CAFOnline.com. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Disqualification of AS Vita Club". CAF. 24 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Mamelodi Sundowns". Kickoff.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Jose Ramon Alexanko gets Mamelodi Sundowns promotion to technical director". Kick Off. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  10. ^ Kickoff PSL Yearbook 2013/2014, p. 28.

External linksEdit

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