Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopie Motsepe has acknowledged some of the setbacks the club had to endure in 2025 and believes they also serve as lessons for the future.
Motsepe was addressing the Masandawana faithful in his latest chairman’s letter in the club’s Digital Magazine for December, where he also sent his well wishes to the club for the festive season.
Among the setbacks Sundowns faced, Motsepe pointed out falling short of a second CAF Champions League title, losing in the final to Egyptian side Pyramids FC last season.
He also highlighted the Sundowns Ladies’ side’s failure to qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League for the first time.
TLHOPIE MOTSEPE EXPLAINS WHY IT HAS BEEN A TESTING 2025 FOR THE CLUB
“2025 was a year that tested us in many ways. But as we have learned time and again, tests do not come to break us; they come to reveal our abilities and prepare us for the future,” wrote the chairman. “The year 2025 has been an important year for your football club. We shared significant moments, achieved meaningful successes, and where we fell short, we learned valuable lessons. It was a year of magical highs and heartbreaking lows.”
Sundowns went into the 2025 AFCON break trailing rivals Orlando Pirates by two points in the Betway Premiership after 13 games played. However, the chairman insists there is no reason to press the panic button as league titles are decided in May and not December.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS CHAIRMAN SAYS NO NEED TO PANIC OVER CURRENT LOG POSITION
“As the year closes, we find ourselves in a position that is unfamiliar in recent seasons,” he noted. “While we may not be where we aspire to be at this point, history has taught us that league titles are decided in May, not December.”
Meanwhile, Sundowns are well represented at the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco with seven players and two technical team members.
Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, and Bathusi Aubaas are part of the Bafana Bafana squad, while Denis Onyango and Divine Lunga are with Uganda and Zimbabwe, respectively.
On the other hand, Kennedy Mweene is serving on Zimbabwe’s technical team, and Tinashe-Shingai Mukandatsama is working within the Bafana technical setup.
“We are immensely proud of you [Sundowns’ AFCON contingent] and look forward to welcoming you back healthy and ready for the year ahead,” added Motsepe.
Motsepe also paid tribute to the late club owner, Solly Krok, and former chairman, Angelo Tsichlas, who both passed away this year.
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