Il Nuovo Postiglione - South Africa's Sundowns make impact felt at Club World Cup

The club, established in a black township during the apartheid era, drew 0-0 with Brazilian giants Fluminense in their final group game having beaten South Korea's Ulsan and lost 4-3 in a thriller with Borussia Dortmund.

The day before their clash with Fluminense in Miami, the Sundowns held a community event for under-privileged kids at a park near Fort Lauderdale.

While watching former players and Sundowns staff coach the children, chairman Tlhopie Motsepe reflected on the impact the tournament has had on his club.

"It's been a wonderful experience to be at the Club World Cup and to be an African club representing our continent on this stage, it's given us so much pride and really we have felt a lot of support from home. The competition has given us a global platform," he told AFP in an interview.

Motsepe, who is the son of leading South African businessman and president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe, says the notion that the Club World Cup helps give clubs from outside Europe a more international presence, is borne out by his club's experience.

Motsepe said his club's domestic success, with 18 league titles, and regular involvement in the CAF Champions League, has earned them fans at home and respect across Africa but that the past two weeks has seen their reputation spread and social media interest globally grow significantly.

- Global attention -

"When it came to attention from supporters in let's say Europe or South America, it was very very rare. We have a social media team that actually track the numbers and where the types of traffic come from our club and it was very minimal from Europe and South America before we came here," he said.

"But I heard pundits from Europe speaking about our football club and the way we play the game, we've had supporters from Brazil commenting on our pictures... so for us as an African team from South Africa, from a township, to get the type of attention that we're getting because of how we see the game and how we play the game, I think it's been a wonderful surprise."

While Motsepe's hope that the Sundowns would beat Fluminense and progress to the knockout stage, was ultimately denied, he says his team have been able to advance the core idea upon which the club was founded.

"Our club was founded in the townships of Mamelodi and it was created by two doctors who also wanted to give back to their community," he said.

"For us to be here now on this stage knowing that 55 years ago we were created in apartheid as well and our motto was and is 'the sky is the limit'... it was always about playing football to inspire people, inspire our fellow South Africans and Africans to have big dreams, to not limit themselves by the environment or the circumstances that they find themselves in."

It is that ambition that led the Sundowns to Mills Pond Park where having connected with the local community, through partners Roc Nation Sports International, they provided an opportunity for kids to engage directly with them.

"We are able to share the same message and to show people through our football that you know you can be bold and you shouldn't limit yourself, you can compete with the best," said Motsepe.

"It's been a very special journey that we've had and it's a special opportunity that we can continue to show Africans but I think people all over the world who are from different backgrounds that you can compete and you deserve to be seen if you have something and an identity to share with the world."

T.Barbieri--INP