Chairman’s Letter

THE CHAIRMAN'S

LETTER

Photos: Sundowns Media

Happy Holidays, Masandawana

Welcome to the final edition of the Mamelodi Sundowns Digital Magazine for the year 2025!

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. We competed in a CAF Champions League final, participated in the FIFA Club World Cup, and secured our eighth consecutive league title. Our Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies preserved our pride by retaining the Hollywoodbets Super League title for the sixth consecutive time, while our Academy enjoyed a historic year of success.

Alongside moments of joy and jubilation, we also faced sorrow and setbacks. We suffered a devastating defeat in a highly anticipated CAF Champions League final in Cairo, and for the first time since the competition’s inception, our Ladies team did not qualify for the CAF Women’s Champions League. These were challenging moments for the Club.

However, no sporting setback can compare to the personal loss experienced this year by the Krok and Tsichlas families, who lost the heads of their households. We mourn the passing of Solly Krok, the charitable and charming former owner of the Club, who passed away at the age of 95, as well as our former Chairman, Angelo Tsichlas, a true gentleman of the game and a proud son of Hellenic soil. On behalf of our supporters, players, staff, and Board, I once again extend our heartfelt condolences and express our deep gratitude for their outstanding contributions to Mamelodi Sundowns.

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.

Speaking of the future, the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy enjoyed an exceptional, record-breaking season. For the first time in the Club’s history, our Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 boys’ teams all finished their regional leagues as champions. I congratulate their coaches — Lunga Nobela, Mark Mayambela, Selekedi Mogale, and Kristopher Bergman — for their inspirational leadership. Under the guidance of our Head of Academy, Paulo Cardoso, and the mentorship of our Head of Youth Development, Sam Mbatha, I am confident that we will soon be cheering more home-grown talent in our first team.

Our girls’ division also enjoyed a memorable season. On the Continental Stage, the Under-17 team, coached by Rhoda Mulaudzi, were crowned champions of the second edition of the CAF Under-17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) Zimbabwe 2025. They went into the competition having won the Gauteng Women’s Development League for the third consecutive year, while our Sasol team claimed the Gauteng Sasol League title and qualified for the national playoffs.

Running a football academy requires sacrifice, patience, and selflessness. While much credit is due to Paulo Cardoso, he would be the first to acknowledge that none of this success would be possible without Sam Mbatha, Muzi Dladla, the assistant coaches, and especially our house parents, Alex Ramohlale and Esmeralda Nobela. From the bus drivers to the chefs, each member of this extended family cares for our young players in a uniquely African way.

On the continental stage, I wish Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Aubrey Modiba, Tebogo Mokoena, and Bathusi Aubaas every success as they represent Bafana Bafana at the AFCON tournament in Morocco. I also wish Denis Onyango and Divine Lunga the very best as they represent Uganda and Zimbabwe respectively. Sundowns will also have representation in the Technical Teams of Zimbabwe with Kennedy Mweene and Tinashe-Shingai Mukandatsama in Bafana Bafana. We are immensely proud of you and look forward to welcoming you back healthy and ready for the year ahead.

Turning to our first team, starting 2026 strongly will be a key objective for Themba Zwane and his teammates. Your Chairman, the Sporting Director, and the Board have already begun the work of ensuring that the right people and the right players are in place for a season filled with purpose and ambition. At the same time, I would like to sincerely thank Coach Miguel Cardoso and the entire squad for the commitment and success they delivered in 2025. Winning our eighth consecutive league title and reaching a CAF Champions League final for the first time in nine years were remarkable achievements. I also thank the supporters who stood by the team and the coach when it mattered most.

One of our most difficult tests this year came after our Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies narrowly missed qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League. Having never missed a campaign since the tournament’s introduction in 2021, this was a painful setback. What followed, however, spoke volumes about the character of this team. Under the leadership of Captain Lebohang Ramalepe and Coach Godfrey Sapula, Banyana Ba Style responded by defending their Hollywoodbets Super League title once again. That resilience makes us proud, and we are confident they will return even stronger next season.

I am also delighted to welcome our new partners who joined the Yellow Nation this year: Carling Black Label, Chery, Huawei, and Biogen. Carling Black Label is Africa’s most awarded beer and a brand synonymous with innovation and supporter-centric thinking. Chery, one of the fastest-growing automotive brands globally, has impressed us with its commitment to quality, technology, and the driver. Huawei’s leadership in technology and connectivity, driven by innovation and long-term thinking, mirrors our own journey as a Club. Our partnership with Biogen, a proudly South African sports and wellness brand, reflects our shared commitment to health, integrity, and improving lives. We are honoured to partner with these outstanding organisations.

As the year closes, we find ourselves in a position that is unfamiliar in recent seasons. 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. What has sustained this Club through every era will continue to guide us — the unwavering support of Masandawana. Unity within the Yellow Family will always be our greatest strength.

On behalf of the entire Mamelodi Sundowns organisation, I thank our supporters for your energy, belief, and loyalty throughout 2025. I also extend my deepest appreciation to the many men and women behind the scenes — from administrators to medical staff, drivers to security, cooks to cleaners — whose dedication ensures our teams can succeed. Your contribution does not go unnoticed.

I wish you all a joyful festive season, a Merry Christmas, and a prosperous New Year. We look forward to reuniting with you in the stadiums in 2026.

The Sky is the Limit!

Tlhopie Motsepe
(Chairman)

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