Miguel Cardoso ‘very surprised’ Allende remains underrated in South African football

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has expressed his surprise that Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende continues to be undervalued in South African football despite his consistent performances and awards. Allende was named Player of the Match for the second time in a row, contributing to Sundowns' 3-2 victory over Golden Arrows, which secured their spot in the MTN8 final.

This recognition has led Cardoso to question why Allende has received so little individual acclaim during his time in South Africa. The Portuguese coach noted that Allende was only nominated for the PSL Midfielder of the Season award once, alongside Orlando Pirates' Makhehleni Makhaula and Sundowns teammate Teboho Mokoena, with Makhaula ultimately winning the award.

Cardoso emphasized that Allende's consistent performances should not be a distraction from Sundowns' bigger goals. He believes that individual awards should naturally follow a team's collective success. The coach stressed that the priority for Sundowns remains their league position, with individual accolades only truly valuable if they contribute to the team's overall success.

"No one at Sundowns has a vested interest in fighting for individual trophies unless those trophies demonstrate that the team performed well," Cardoso stated.