South Africa’s Sundowns make influence felt at Club World Cup

The membership, established in a black township through the apartheid period, drew 0-0 with Brazilian giants Fluminense of their last group sport having overwhelmed South Korea’s Ulsan and misplaced 4-3 in a thriller with Borussia Dortmund.

The day earlier than their conflict with Fluminense in Miami, the Sundowns held a group occasion for under-privileged youngsters at a park close to Fort Lauderdale.

While watching former gamers and Sundowns workers coach the kids, chairman Tlhopie Motsepe mirrored on the influence the match has had on his membership.

“It’s been a wonderful experience to be at the Club World Cup and to be an African club representing our continent on this stage, it’s given us so much pride and really we have felt a lot of support from home. The competition has given us a global platform,” he informed AFP in an interview.

Motsepe, who’s the son of main South African businessman and president of the Confederation of African Football Patrice Motsepe, says the notion that the Club World Cup helps give golf equipment from outdoors Europe a extra worldwide presence, is borne out by his membership’s expertise.

Motsepe mentioned his membership’s home success, with 18 league titles, and common involvement within the CAF Champions League, has earned them followers at dwelling and respect throughout Africa however that the previous two weeks has seen their popularity unfold and social media curiosity globally develop considerably.

“When it came to attention from supporters in let’s say Europe or South America, it was very very rare. We have a social media team that actually track the numbers and where the types of traffic come from our club and it was very minimal from Europe and South America before we came here,” he mentioned.

“But I heard pundits from Europe speaking about our football club and the way we play the game, we’ve had supporters from Brazil commenting on our pictures… so for us as an African team from South Africa, from a township, to get the type of attention that we’re getting because of how we see the game and how we play the game, I think it’s been a wonderful surprise.”

While Motsepe’s hope that the Sundowns would beat Fluminense and progress to the knockout stage, was finally denied, he says his staff have been in a position to advance the core concept upon which the membership was based.

“Our club was founded in the townships of Mamelodi and it was created by two doctors who also wanted to give back to their community,” he mentioned.

“For us to be here now on this stage knowing that 55 years ago we were created in apartheid as well and our motto was and is ‘the sky is the limit’… it was always about playing football to inspire people, inspire our fellow South Africans and Africans to have big dreams, to not limit themselves by the environment or the circumstances that they find themselves in.”

It is that ambition that led the Sundowns to Mills Pond Park the place having linked with the area people, by way of companions Roc Nation Sports International, they supplied a possibility for teenagers to interact straight with them.

“We are able to share the same message and to show people through our football that you know you can be bold and you shouldn’t limit yourself, you can compete with the best,” mentioned Motsepe.

“It’s been a very special journey that we’ve had and it’s a special opportunity that we can continue to show Africans but I think people all over the world who are from different backgrounds that you can compete and you deserve to be seen if you have something and an identity to share with the world.”

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