Despite losing the title, Cardoso proud to have knocked out Al Ahly and Espérance!

The CAF Champions League title did not go to South African club Mamelodi Sundowns this season, but Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso expressed immense pride in his players' performance throughout the tournament.

Last Sunday, Sundowns lost the second leg of the final against Pyramids (2-1). This result crowned Pyramids champions for the first time in their history, with a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

Cardoso proud despite defeat: "We eliminated Al Ahly and Espérance!"

Miguel Cardoso, who became the first coach to lose back-to-back finals in this competition with two different clubs, said after the match: "We faced some top-tier opponents, notably Al Ahly, who are always the leaders of African club football and whom we managed to knock out in the semifinals, as well as Espérance de Tunis, ranked second, whom we also defeated."

He added: "Our group was extremely tough, with Raja Casablanca and FUS Rabat, but we managed to qualify and reach the final."

The 35-year-old coach continued: "I am extremely proud of the players, who showed remarkable commitment and fighting spirit throughout the competition. Losing in the final is tough, but it’s not the end of the road."

He concluded by saying: "The players are hurting today, which is only natural, but they are true champions and will come back even stronger in the future."

See also: Top scorers in the Champions League: Pyramids star leads the way!

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.