2025 Club World Cup: 4 things to know about Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso

Mamelodi Sundowns have confirmed their Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso will remain at the helm, despite their Champions League final defeat to Egyptian side Pyramids.

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Cardoso will now guide the South African club in the FIFA Club World Cup across three high-stakes matches against Ulsan, Borussia Dortmund, and Fluminense. Here are four key things to know about Miguel Cardoso.

A graduate of the University of Porto

In 1998, he earned a master's degree in sports science from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education at the University of Porto.

A successful spell with Rio Ave

He made his name in Portugal with Rio Ave, leading the club to a historic fifth-place finish in the 2017-2018 Portuguese league season—their second-best result ever.

A tough setback in Europe

His impressive run in Portugal did not go unnoticed, prompting FC Nantes to bring him in during the off-season. However, his stint there was a complete failure, as were his subsequent tenures with Celta Vigo and AEK Athens.

Two league triumphs in Tunisia and South Africa

After a few years away from coaching, Cardoso returned to the dugout in 2023, guiding Espérance de Tunis to the domestic league title and to the Champions League final. He replicated this achievement with Mamelodi Sundowns.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.