Feutmba hails Sundowns as Africa’s best as Champions League defence looms
Mamelodi Sundowns have been lauded as the team to beat on the continent ahead of their defence of the CAF Champions League, with former club midfielder Roger Feutmba saying the Tshwane side possess the quality and depth to secure back-to-back continental titles.
Feutmba, a respected figure in African football, told media outlets that Sundowns’ current technical project and squad composition mark them out from rivals. His endorsement comes as the club prepares for another campaign in Africa’s premier club competition, and while also negotiating a crowded fixture list at Chloorkop.
“There's no doubt about that. Sundowns has the squad to retain the title. Like I always say, Sundowns, for me, is the best team in Africa today.”
Why Feutmba believes Sundowns are favourites
Feutmba stressed that Sundowns’ standing is not just a by-product of their most recent Champions League triumph but stems from sustained planning and squad investment. He highlighted three pillars as central to the club’s continental credentials:
- Consistency — a belief that the team’s results and performances are a product of long-term strategy rather than short-term form;
- Quality of players — the depth across positions that allows rotation without a marked drop in performance;
- Squad depth — not relying on two or three individuals, but on a larger pool able to compete across multiple competitions.
Those attributes will be tested as Sundowns balance domestic and continental duties. The club has already added the CAF Super Cup against CAF Confederation Cup winners USM Alger to an intense programme that, according to reporting, spans seven competitions this season.
| Key fixtures/competitions | Notes |
|---|---|
| CAF Champions League | Sundowns received a bye for the first preliminary round; they await the winner of Wiliete SC (Angola) vs Foresters (Seychelles) |
| CAF Super Cup | Set against USM Alger following last season’s continental success |
| Other competitions | Club reportedly contesting five additional competitions domestically and continentally this season |
Fixture congestion and squad management
For residents in Mamelodi, where Chloorkop is a focal point for the club’s training and many supporters, a season of many fronts means more midweek travel, rotating matchday squads and chances for fringe players to stake a claim. It also raises practical questions for the coaching staff about rotation and injury prevention across a packed calendar.
Feutmba also offered a cautionary note: while praising Sundowns’ quality, he warned against complacency — an implicit reminder that success must be sustained through management, fitness and focus. The club’s bye into the later qualifying rounds of the CAF Champions League gives them a brief breathing space, but the route to a third continental star will still involve navigating tough ties and away trips across Africa.
Locally, the prospect of Sundowns retaining the title is significant. A continued run of high-profile continental matches boosts Tshwane’s footballing profile, brings economic activity on matchdays, and reinforces Chloorkop’s status as a continental football hub. For the thousands who wear the yellow and blue in Mamelodi and beyond, expectations will be high — and Feutmba’s words will be repeated with optimism as the campaign unfolds.
With the club awaiting the outcome of the Wiliete SC vs Foresters tie before their Champions League path becomes clearer, supporters will be watching closely as pre-season gives way to competitive action.
