Latest news with #KeanuCupido
IOL News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Keanu Cupido's Mamelodi Sundowns journey: From holiday dreams to automatic starter
Mamelodi Sundowns' Keanu Cupido impressed with his performances at the Fifa Club World Cup. Image: Backpagepix Keanu Cupido thought he'd be flying out to the United States for an all-expenses paid holiday when he made Mamelodi Sundowns' final squad for the Fifa Club World Cup. But rather than finding himself soaking up the sunshine of Florida, Cupido became an integral part of coach Miguel Cardoso's plans. The Portugal-born coach surprisingly drafted Cupido into the starting lineup from the onset, and ended up starting the next two group matches too. Cupido, speaking on the sidelines of the MTN8 launch this week ahead of their quarter-final tie at home to Richards Bay Sunday, admitted he was shocked after getting the nod to start. 'It's not about (walking) straight into the team. It's been about working behind the scenes. So, it's just hard work that paid off,' the central defender explained. 'It did surprise me (to get the nod), because I hadn't played for a while. So, I thought going to a major tournament like this would be a holiday for me, but God works in mysterious ways.' Cupido 🗣 "We want to start the season very well, this is a game where we want to show up. We want to win this trophy." Our season kicks off this Sunday and we are ready to go! 👆 Get your tickets! 🎟 #MTN8 #AreyengMasandawana — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 31, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Cupido is understandably surprised. Breaking into the star-studded Sundowns team is not easy, and no coach wants to tamper with his defensive organisation. The 27-year-old, though, insisted that he was welcomed with open arms in the starting lineup as those who played alongside him gave him words of advice. 'The players at Mamelodi Sundowns make it very easy for one of us to perform on the day,' Cupido explained. 'If you go to a big game, the players will tell you: just do the basics, and simple things, then your confidence will grow. And that's what I did. 'So that helped me a lot to settle into the first game, and from then on it was a smooth ride for me.' Cupido didn't only settle at Sundowns with the help of his teammates and technical team. It also took someone close to his heart to keep him going after a tough start at the club. 'In all honesty, it was tough for me at first, but my wife made it easy for me,' said Cupido, who had only made two appearances for the team prior to the Club World Cup. 'She said 'everything works through God, if it's his timing, then it will happen'. That kept me going. 'So, I feel she played a major part in this. She kept me motivated, head down and working hard. I think that support structure is very important.' 🏆 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡 🏆 In a league of his own! 🔥 Lucas Ribeiro your 24/25 PSL Footballer Of The Season! 👆 We are proud of you Lucas! 👏#Sundowns #PSLAwards25 — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 29, 2025 Cupido also credited his former Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler for pushing him after a promising start to his career. 'You need someone to trust you,' Cupido acknowledged. 'At the end of Eric's last two seasons in his last spell, he felt like he trusted me more and more. 'So, I also felt like I needed to give him back. So, since he made me the vice-captain, that gave responsibility for me as a player. 'I think it made me grow as a player as well. If you are comfortable in one spot, then you don't grow. He needed to put more responsibility on me.' There'll be more responsibilities and expectations that will be placed on Cupido and Co ahead of the new season after winning the hearts of many in the US. Cupido, though, is not fazed by that, saying the players know that their job at Sundowns comes with expectation, including giving their best season in and season out. 'We feel like we need to take care of our bodies as players firstly, and then the team will come into it when we need to do our recoveries,' Cupido said. 'We also need to look at what we eat because nutrition is very important. So that's the thing that separates professionals from the rest. 'You could see that Tebza [Teboho Mokoena] and [Lucas] Ribeiro played so many games last season, so they are used to the workload.'
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of Club World Cup Soccer Week 2
Mamelodi Sundowns' Keanu Cupido, left, and Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy (9) battle for the ball during the Club World Cup Group F soccer match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Borussia Dortmund in Cincinnati, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
CAF
22-06-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Cupido sets rallying cry as Sundowns face make-or-break Fluminese tie
Published: Sunday, 22 June 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns centre-back Keanu Cupido says the South African champions have no choice but to 'give it everything' against Fluminense on Tuesday if they are to extend their FIFA Club World Cup adventure. The Brazilians sit third in Group F after a breathless 4-3 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Cincinnati – a match Sundowns led early before being punished by individual errors and an own goal. Fluminense's 4-2 win over Ulsan HD later the same evening means the Rio giants and Dortmund both have four points, with Sundowns on three. Going into their final Group F game against the Brazilian side, the defender knows they must give it their all to be able to advance from the tricky group. 'Against Fluminense, we need to do well,' Cupido told reporters after the match. 'We have to give it our everything if we want to go through to the next stage. 'I feel like we will go home, back to the hotel, recover, rest, and then take it from there. But as a team, we want to win, we want to look for something positive out of the match.' Miguel Cardoso's side had stunned Dortmund when Lucas Ribeiro slalomed from halfway to open the scoring on 11 minutes, but a stray pass by goalkeeper Ronwen Williams gifted Felix Nmecha parity and the Germans capitalised to lead 3-1 at half-time. Even after Khuliso Mudau turned a cross into his own net for 4-1, Sundowns rallied: Iqraam Rayners poached his second goal of the tournament before substitute Lebo Mothiba set up a frantic finale with a 90th-minute strike. Cardoso praised the 'bravery' of his players and claimed Dortmund 'will remember this match for a long time'. Cupido echoed those sentiments but stressed that lessons – particularly in decision-making at the back – must be applied immediately. Victory over Fluminense in Orlando will guarantee Sundowns a quarter-final berth regardless of Dortmund's result against win-less Ulsan. A draw would leave the South Africans relying on the Koreans to shock the Bundesliga side – an outcome Cupido is unwilling to gamble on. 'We came here to test ourselves against the best,' he added. 'Dortmund showed us what happens when focus slips. Now it's about mentality: recover, reset and throw everything at Fluminese.' Thousands of expatriate South Africans lit up TQL Stadium with vuvuzelas and will now travel to lend vocal backing in Orlando. Cupido believes that energy can tilt fine margins.
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Dortmund hold off Sundowns to close on CWC knockouts
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group F - Mamelodi Sundowns v Borussia Dortmund - TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. - June 21, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy in action with Mamelodi Sundowns' Keanu Cupido IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Katie Stratman REUTERS CINCINNATI, Ohio - Borussia Dortmund held off a spirited comeback from South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns to secure a 4-3 victory on Saturday and move closer to the Club World Cup knockout stages. Dortmund were behind after 11 minutes at the TQL Stadium but rallied to win their second game in Group F and move top of the standings with four points, one more than Sundowns. Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy and Jobe Bellingham scored for the Bundesliga club who also profited from an own goal. Lucas Ribeiro had given Sundowns the lead while Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba scored in the second half as they looked to rally from 4-1 down in a competitive game played in blazing hot conditions with a midday kickoff. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
