South African coach Rulani Mokwena could have suggested he's not getting credit for preparing Mamelodi Sundowns and Wydad Casablanca for the FIFA Club World Cup.
Mokwena was instrumental in Sundowns qualifying for the Club World Cup, firstly as a co-coach and also as a sole head coach in a four-year cycle that was under consideration by FIFA, for The Brazilians to qualify via the rankings path.
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There was still sentiments from observers in South Africa when Masandawana played at the global tournament, that the style of play, game model and mentality had Mokwena's imprints all over them.
Even though Wydad qualified for the Club World Cup by virtue of winning the 2021/22 CAF Champions League, they were in disarray prior to the 38-year-old coach taking over ahead of the 2024/25 season, who assembled a new team from scratch, only to be relieved of his duties a few games before the conclusion of the Botola Pro League campaign.
After he was appointed at MC Alger, the Soweto native coach has suggested that he has taken those particular lessons to create such a legacy at MC Alger by firstly winning the CAF Champions League.
"You know you speak of the Club World Cup and someone made a very interesting observation, it actually led to why I want to try to win the CAF Champions League. They said to me, 'You know you were at the Club World Cup twice, with two teams?' I said 'What do you mean?'" Mokwena said on Metro FM Sports.
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"He said 'You had a great influence in Sundowns being there and the players at Wydad...There was no coach that was as influential at the Club World Cup'.
"I then said, 'That's why working in the CAF Champions League team is so important, because you can change the life of the club, the life of players, you can just imagine the lives that have been changed at Wydad for example, (Thembinkosi) Lorch for example. Sundowns, that group, the experience. So imagine being able to qualify MC Alger, even though I may not be there in five years time, but imagine getting them there," Mokwena concluded.
