South African Mamelod’s Sundowns learn important lessons after the World Cup of the Club
South African Mamelodi Sundowns goes out of the World Cup of the club with high heads and strong confidence that they have made a mark on the global scene.
The club, founded in a black town during the Apoch Age, Drew 0-0 Brazilian giants Flammable In their last group game Beating Ulsan and lost South Korea and lost 4-3 in a thriller with Borussia Dortmund.
The day before their collision with Fluminense in Miami, Sunset held a community event for children under privilege in a park near Fort Lauderdale.
While looking at former players and coach of the staff of Sundowns, children, President Tlhopie Motsepe reflected on the impact that the tour of his club had.
“It has been a wonderful experience to be in the World Cup of the club and to be an African club representing our continent at this stage, we have been so proud and we have really felt a lot of support from home. The competition has given us a global platform,“He told AFP in an interview.
Motsepe, who is the son of the leading businessman of South Africa and the president of the African Football Confederation (CAF) Patrice Motsepe, says the notion that the club’s World Cup helps give clubs from outside Europe a more international presence, arises from the experience of his club.
Motsepe said his club’s internal success, with 18 league titles and regular involvement in the CAF Champions League, has won them fans at home and respect throughout Africa, but that the past two weeks have seen their reputation spread and the interest of social media grow globally.
Global attention
“When it came to the attention of supporters let’s say Europe or South America, it was very rare. We have a social media team that actually follows numbers and where traffic types come from our club and it was very minimal from Europe and South America before we came here,“He said.
“But I have heard experts from Europe talking about our football club and the way we play the game, we have had supporters from Brazil by commenting our photos … so for us as an African team from South Africa, from a city, to get the kind of attention we are getting because of the way we see the game and how we are playing.“
While Motsepe’s hope that Sundowns would beat Fluminense and progress to the Nokau phase, he was ultimately denied, he says his team has been able to advance the essential idea on which the club was founded.
“Our club was founded in the cities of Mamelod and was created by two doctors who also wanted to give their community,“He said.
“For us to be here now at this stage knowing that 55 years ago we were also created in apartheid and our motto was and is ‘Heaven is the limit’ … It was always to play football to inspire people, the inspiration of our Southern Africans and Africans to have great dreams, not limited to the environment or circumstances in which they find themselves.“
That is, the ambition that led Sundowns to Mills Pond Park, where they connected with the local community, through partners Roc Nation Sports International, they offered an opportunity for children to engage directly with them.
“We are able to share the same message and show people through our football that you know you can be brave and should not limit yourself, you can compete with the best“Got Motsepe.
“It has been a very special journey we have had and it is a special opportunity that we can continue to show Africans, but I think people in the whole world of different backgrounds you can compete with and you deserve to be seen if you have something and an identity to share with the world.“
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