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Mamelodi Sundowns play against Egypt’s Pyramids in the Caf Champions League final at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on June 1, 2025.
Mamelodi Sundowns are in high spirits ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States (US) commencing this month.
The Brazilians are still reeling from the setback of losing the Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League final to Egyptian team, Pyramids, last weekend.
The team departed for the US yesterday afternoon.
This will be the second time Sundowns participate in the World Cup, having been there in 2016.
Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams says they were given five days off after the final just to re-energise for the World Cup.
Williams says, “It was also important just to stay away from each other, we have played so many games this season and we have travelled so much as well so these five days away from each other just to re-energise again, to get spark back and obviously it was devastating to accept that defeat but we have to go again”
Masandawana will be in Group F with Borussia Dortmund from Germany, Fluminense from Brazil and Ulsan from South Korea.
Assistant Coach Steve Kompela says they are excited to go to the World Cup.
Kompela says, “That is gone, we have to look at the next calendar and it should give us excitement that we are going to the World Cup and we are excited to go to USA, it’s the World Cup.”
Sundowns’ Winger, Tashreeq Matthews, is looking forward to playing against his former team, Dortmund.
Matthews played for the team from 2019 to 2020
He says, “Some of them are on loan, some of them are transferred to other teams but I think there is still one or two that’s with the team and guys that worked there, and still work there. I’m still in contact with them.”
The team’s Midfielder, Neo Maema, has not played much this season due to many reasons.
He says going to the World Cup will be an adventure for them.
Maema says, “We got a bit of few days off so that we can recuperate and gather our thoughts. It’s another adventure, new experience playing against the best clubs in the world.”
The Brazilians will begin their campaign against Ulsan from South Korea on June 18.
VIDEO | Sundowns will be based in Florida for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup:
