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The story of South Africa's greatness continues: Celebrating Mamelodi Sundowns.

The world will be focused on the Club World Cup, where 32 of the best teams will compete in 63 matches to produce a globally watched ranking and a champion. The 32 teams will represent the National Premier leagues of the countries they hail from. Aside from the talents that will be on display for the world's viewers, the clubs will arguably serve as indicators of the standard of living in the participating countries, particularly in sports administration and management. 

The Club World Cup also indicates the number of countries represented by the participating players, even if their countries do not have teams in the tournament. This generates a ranking system based on the number of players. In this ranking, the world's top soccer-playing countries are determined based on their performance in the Champions League tournaments and other relevant criteria. In this matrix, South Africa ranks in position 11 with a total of 31 of its players participating. 


While the concentration of these players is with Mamelodi Sundowns, there is interesting data concerning RSA players in other National Premier Leagues. RSA also contributes to the number of countries represented in its league through the clubs that have qualified, with examples such as Namibia and Uganda having national representation through Mamelodi Sundowns. Brazil's position-one status includes players in the RSA Premier League. 


The Mamelodi Sundowns players are not the first individuals to showcase what South Africa, as a soccer powerhouse, entails. Amongst others, Steve Kalamazoo Mokone, Kaizer Motaung, Ephraim Jomo Sono, Ace Ntsoelengoe, Lucas Moripe, Lucas Radebe, Benny McCarthy, Percy Tau, and Pitso Mosimane have all brightened the corners they occupied. As a team, they have been illuminating the realm of RSA soccer alongside Orlando Pirates in the continental Champions League for some time. 


In addition to showcasing the Premier League, the participating teams also highlight their hometowns. It is undeniable that among the global cities from which clubs emerge, Mamelodi Township stands out alongside Barcelona, Madrid, Manchester, Munich, and several other magnificent cities worldwide. Accompanying Mamelodi in this prominence are Tshwane Metropolis, Pretoria, as the Capital City, and Lucas Moripe Stadium, the primary home ground of Mamelodi Sundowns. At the Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns' home ground is Cincinnati, where the club has a US supporter base formed through an outreach programme by the Charity and Faith Mission Church based in Khutsong, Mamelodi. The less said about CFM, which hosts one of the largest hospices in South Africa's townships, an orphanage, a nursing home, and several other community engagement programmes, the better. 


The heritage prowess of South Africa will be on global display through the lens of Mamelodi Sundowns, where the great Kalamazoo Mokone played his last game before becoming a globally notable player, and where Sydney Maree, the world's 800m runner, attended his high school. Despite this sports heritage perspective, the world would find that Majlambandlopfu, the RSA President's Residence, is located on Stanza Bopape Street, which is named after Stanza Bopape.


Mamelodi Sundowns is not just a soccer club; it's a custodian of a rich heritage that weaves into South Africa's history in ways many have yet to appreciate. The inextricable relationship between Mamelodi Sundowns and the history of middle-class life in Mamelodi, as exemplified by the doctors who founded the club, and the core foundational players who represented the club from Mamelodi High School and Vlakfontein Technical High School, along with the now derelict HM Pitje Stadium, is unparalleled. 


South Africa's sports achievements have not only made a mark locally but also on the global stage. The past thirty years have seen South Africa rise to become one of the best rugby nations, boasting three Rugby World Cups and Rugby Club World accolades, including those of the Tshwane-based Blue Bulls. Additionally, notable achievements in athletics include being the number one ranked country in the 100 metres and the 4x100 metres relay. 


A high-level search of RSA greatness in other fields yields several different stories of global significance. This includes the highest number of Nobel Laureates overall, a record of four Peace Prize Laureates, two of whom come from Vilakazi Street in Soweto. Other cultural and scientific icons adorn global halls of fame, such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Charlize Theron, Trevor Noah, Black Coffee, and Julian Bahula, among others. These contributions enable us to appreciate the diverse talents and achievements of our country, instilling a sense of respect for our cultural and scientific heritage. 


The inaugural Club World Cup story will forever feature Mamelodi Sundowns, with much of Mamelodi's history serving as its permanent footnotes or endnotes. It is the greatest vuvuzela of South Africa's soccer greatness in all its facets. Qualifying for the next round of the tournament can only add to what participation already signifies as an achievement. 


Paraphrasing Pierre de Coubertin, "the most important thing in the Club World Cup is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well." It would be a wonderful feeling to hear one of the players declare, like Usain Bolt, that although we may not have won the tournament, we hold a position among the world's top 32 teams. For Mamelodi Sundowns players, this tournament should be focused on establishing a blueprint for how to thrive in the presence of the greatness they are inarguably a part of. 

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