Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso believes it is a shame that the CAF Champions League does not receive the respect it deserves from his native Portugal.
Cardoso made the remarks ahead of his side’s clash against AS FAR Rabat, coached by fellow Portuguese tactician Alexandre Santos.
The two sides lock horns in the first leg of the 2025 Champions League on Sunday at Loftus Stadium. It will be Cardoso’s third successive final after guiding the Brazilians last season and Tunisian giants Esperance two years ago. AS FAR will host the reverse fixture on 24 May in Rabat.
Cardoso said many people in Portugal fail to understand the scale and difficulty of competing in African football’s premier club competition.
“Well, first of all, I would like to tell you something that maybe… I think that international football in Europe, and especially in Portugal, doesn’t really understand the level of what a Champions League in Africa is,” Cardoso said.
CARDOSO ON MANUEL JOSÉ’S CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ACHIEVEMENTS
“And it’s a shame for my country that it doesn’t really understand the dimension of achievements that some Portuguese coaches have been making in Africa.”
The former Espérance mentor also referenced legendary Portuguese mentor Manuel José, who enjoyed enormous success with Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
“Even Manuel José is not recognised at the level of the work he did here, which is an absolute shame,” he added.
Cardoso argued that coaches working in Europe often receive greater recognition for modest achievements than those succeeding in Africa’s demanding football landscape.
“They prefer to recognise a guy capable of sustaining a team in the division in Spain, France or England rather than understand the dimension of an achievement in African football,” he said.
Despite that, the Sundowns coach spoke passionately about his experience on the continent, saying African football has helped him grow both professionally and personally.
“I feel very proud to be a Portuguese coach in Africa,” Cardoso explained. “I feel privileged because African football has made me grow a lot as a coach, as a human being, as a person that appreciates diversity, culture, climate and nature.”
He also opened up about his relationship with Santos, revealing that both coaches share similar career journeys, having spent years as assistant coaches before stepping into senior roles.
“Alexandre worked many years with coach [José] Peseiro, and I was also an assistant coach for many years,” he added. “Since then, we have had a relationship. We send messages in the right moments because we cross paths on the pitch.”
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