In football, there is always room for heartbreak. But when heartbreak begins to feel like a pattern, questions naturally follow. For a club as dominant and well-resourced as Mamelodi Sundowns, the sight of them falling short on the biggest occasions is no longer just a rare stumble,it’s becoming a trend.
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The Brazilians, widely considered the gold standard of South African football, have now lost four consecutive finals across all competitions.
The 2023/24 Nedbank Cup, the 2024/25 Carling Knockout Cup, the 2023/24 MTN8, and most recently the 2024/25 CAF Champions League final against Pyramids FC have all ended in tears for the Chloorkop giants.
And while critics have been quick to point to fatigue, fixture congestion, and bad luck, others are asking a more uncomfortable question, has this team lost its big-match temperament?
It’s a far cry from the decisive, ruthless version of Sundowns that lifted the African Football League trophy in 2023 and claimed a domestic treble in the 2021/22 season under the guidance of Rulani Mokwena and Manqoba Mngqithi.
On those occasions, Sundowns looked like a side destined for continental greatness, not just domestic dominance. They had swagger, composure under pressure, and an ability to seize the moment when it mattered most. Fast forward to the present day, and those qualities appear to be fading when the spotlight is brightest.
The latest defeat, against Egyptian outfit Pyramids in the CAF Champions League final, was perhaps the most painful of all.
It marked the third season in a row that Sundowns failed to convert their undoubted quality into continental supremacy. Having finally made it back to the final after nearly a decade, this was supposed to be the crowning moment for a team that has broken nearly every domestic record. Instead, it reinforced the growing suspicion that they are struggling to finish the job on the biggest stage.
The 2023/24 MTN8 loss to Orlando Pirates was similarly deflating. Pirates snatched victory in a tense and tactical battle, exposing cracks in Sundowns’ ability to manage tight, high-pressure encounters. That result was followed by a penalty shootout heartbreak in the Nedbank Cup final, once again leaving fans wondering why a team capable of swatting away league opposition with ease couldn’t summon the same dominance in a one-off final.
Then came the 2024/25 Carling Knockout Cup, another opportunity, another loss this time against rookies Magesi FC. By now, the script was starting to feel familiar.
Sundowns play well enough to get to the final but fall flat when it matters most. It’s a storyline that clashes with their invincibility in the PSL, where they’ve won eight consecutive league titles and recently posted the highest points-per-game average in South African topflight history.
So what’s really going on?
Is this simply a case of bad luck? Perhaps. A missed penalty here, a controversial refereeing decision there, an off-day from a star player, it happens. Finals are unpredictable. But four finals in a row? That’s more than just misfortune.
It suggests a psychological barrier, a crack in the mental makeup of a squad that looks unstoppable over 30 games but uncertain in a single winner-takes-all clash.
Could it be the transition in leadership off the field? The exits of Mokwena and Mngqithi, both of whom were credited with building a winning culture, have shifted the responsibility to Miguel Cardoso, a coach still trying to stamp his authority at the club. While his tactical acumen has brought league success, his tenure will ultimately be judged by how he fares in finals, something that has eluded him thus far.
Others point to squad rotation and inconsistency in high-pressure lineups. Sundowns have one of the deepest squads on the continent, but sometimes the abundance of talent seems to hinder more than help. Star players like Marcelo Allende, Lucas Ribeiro, and Teboho Mokoena have delivered in the league, but their impact in finals has not mirrored that same dominance.
There's also the weight of expectation. Every final Sundowns play now carries the burden of expectation, not just to win, but to win emphatically. That kind of pressure can tighten even the most experienced players. When the margin for error is razor-thin, confidence can falter.
Contrast this with their 2023 AFL triumph, where Sundowns played with a certain freedom and hunger, seemingly unburdened by history. They swept past continental giants with purpose and belief, looking like a team with nothing to prove. That edge seems to have dulled. The hunger remains, but now it is tinged with tension.
It’s important not to discount the positives. To make four finals in two seasons is an achievement in itself. It proves that Sundowns are still at the top of their game in terms of consistency, structure, and ambition. But success is not measured by appearances, it is measured by trophies. And that’s where the conversation turns uncomfortable.
Because for all their dominance, for all the millions spent on signings, for all the data, the analysis, the sporting directors, and the performance teams, Mamelodi Sundowns are currently stuck in a cycle of almost. And in elite football, almost is not enough.
This current run of final defeats does not signal the end of an era. Far from it. Sundowns remain the team to beat in South Africa. But it does raise the question of whether mental steel, not just tactical brilliance, is the missing piece in their trophy puzzle. If the trend continues, they risk becoming a team known not just for how often they win, but for how often they fall just short.
Until that changes, the label of big-match underachievers will continue to stick.
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