{"id":262241,"date":"2016-10-27T07:06:13","date_gmt":"2016-10-27T07:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=262241"},"modified":"2016-10-27T07:06:13","modified_gmt":"2016-10-27T07:06:13","slug":"mamelodi-sundowns-receive-heroes-welcome-upon-south-africa-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/10\/mamelodi-sundowns-receive-heroes-welcome-upon-south-africa-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamelodi Sundowns receive heroes’ welcome upon South Africa return"},"content":{"rendered":"
Mamelodi Sundowns have arrived back home in South Africa to a heroes’ welcome after winning the African Champions League on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Thousands of football fans gathered at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to congratulate them.<\/p>\n
“I’m humbled to hear everyone chanting my name,” said Pitso Mosimane, the first South African coach to win the continent’s premier club competition.<\/p>\n
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula gave the players $1,450 each as a reward.<\/p>\n
“Sundowns didn’t only represent themselves but our nation,” Mbalula tweeted.<\/i><\/p>\n
“20,000 rand ($1,450) to a player to show our appreciation is little but a sign of gratitude.”<\/p>\n
Although Sundowns lost 1-0 against Egyptian opponents Zamalek in Alexandria on Sunday, they won the final 3-1 on aggregate following a strong showing at home the previous weekend.<\/p>\n
They are only the second South African side to be crowned Africa’s club champions, after Orlando Pirates became the first in 1995.<\/p>\n
Pirates’ success predated the Club World Cup by five years, meaning that Sundowns will become the first South Africans to contest the Fifa tournament.<\/p>\n
December’s Club World Cup in Japan features the reigning club champions from every continent, with Real Madrid of Spain representing Europe.<\/p>\n
“Minister Mbalula, or was it (South African FA president) Danny Jordaan, said ‘do not be surprised to see Sundowns in the final’,” Mosimane announced.<\/p>\n
“You know me, you know my attitude, I believe we will be there (in the final).”<\/p>\n