Mamelodi Sundowns could not have asked for a much better way to unwind and forget about the CAF Champions League final fiasco than going to the US to surround themselves with some of the best ‘soccer’ players in the world at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
The new-format of the Club World Cup will see 32 elite teams from across the globe gather in one country, and Sundowns will be part and parcel of the much-anticipated showpiece that kicks off next Sunday.
Masandawana have been pitted against German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, Brazilian giants Fluminense FC, and Ulsan HD FC of South Korea in Group F.
The PSL champions will open their account against Ulsan next Wednesday, on the 18th, which will be followed by Dortmund, and they will wrap up their group stages against arguably their toughest opponents, Fluminense.
“There are some teams we are familiar with, like Fluminense. We have similar traits in our build-up, in the way that they play. They share similar traits and structures. We used a lot of their clips and a lot of their build-ups as well,” Ronwen Williams said after the draw in December.
“And I know there is someone in our camp who will be thrilled because he played for Borussia Dortmund, Tashreeq Matthews. And Ulsan, all the way from Korea, we know how tough it’s going to be; they play quick football.
“So overall, we’re happy; we’re excited, and we can’t wait for the Club World Cup to start.”
Now with the competition on the horizon and the excitement kicking in, Sunday World takes a closer look at who and what Sundowns’ opponents are all about.
Ulsan HD FC:
Ulsan are currently the reigning champions of Korean top-flight football in the K League 1. Unlike most of the teams in the competition, Ulsan do not have big-name players, as their squad is mostly made up of South Korean internationals.
Some of the players who will be key for Ulsan are their top goal scorer, Erick Farias, and 31-year-old winger Gustav Ludwigson. The latter happens to know a thing or two about Sundowns’ Tashreeq Matthews, whom he knows from Sweden, where Matthews spent almost five seasons.
“I know all his qualities. He [Matthews] is a good player,” Ludwigson said, as quoted by KLeagueUnited.com
Fun fact, the HD in Ulsan’s name stands for Hyundai, a car brand that Downs is very familiar with, having been their vehicle sponsor for some time before switching to Chery as their official vehicle partner.
Borussia Dortmund:
Dortmund probably needs no introduction, as they are one of the big European sides that will be gracing the tournament in the US.
On top of their rich footballing history and stadium Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund are also famous for their passionate fan base known as the ‘Yellow Wall’.
The German outfit is one of the favourites to win the competition. They have a top striker who is in red-hot form, Serhou Guirassy, and have proven in recent years to be a team with pedigree in big tournaments.
Dortmund are the second most decorated football club in Germany after Bayern Munich, who will also be participating in the tournament.
Fluminense FC:
Another club that comes into the competition with a rich football heritage is Fluminense. The Brazilian giants have a reputation for being one of South America’s football’s heavyweights.
They are known and famous for producing some of the best talents the world has ever seen, such as Thiago Silva, Marcelo, and Richarlison among many others.
Going to the World Cup, Fluminense will be looking to players like Jhon ‘Colombian Pele’ Arias and their seasoned captain Thiago Silva. One can imagine how motivated the likes of Lucas Ribeiro, Marcelo Allende and Arthur Sales will be playing against their fellow South Americans.
