Analysis: Sundowns empire dilapidating as Mokwena prophesied?

With Mamelodi Sundowns about to surrender South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) championship, which they retained for eight consecutive seasons, one cannot help but reflect on what their former coach Rulani Mokwena once forewarned about the yellow empire of Arcadia.

Sensing that the Tshwane giants had become so familiar with winning the PSL title that they were beginning to treat it with inevitable contempt, the youthful football prophet issued a caution.

In 2024, the now Al Ittihad SC mentor said: “Empires don’t collapse; they dilapidate bit by bit.” Is this prophecy now about to be fulfilled, now that Masandawa wound up the season on 68 points after losing 3-2 to TS Galaxy on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, leaving second-place Orlando Pirates on 65 points with two games in hand?

If this is the dilapidation Mokwena forewarned about, let the number of points the Tshwane outfit accumulated to claim the Betway Premiership crown in the previous campaigns of utter dominance vindicate him or not.

Points tally for Sundowns since the 2019-2020 season

2025-2026: 68 points

2024-2025:73 points

2023-2024: 73 points

2022-2023: 70 points

2021-2022: 65 points

2020-2021: 67 points

2019-2020: 59 points

What the points’ tally tells us

So, what these statistics tell us is that the defending champions have failed to reach the 70-point tally for the first time since the 2021-2022 season.

On the other hand, their two losses for the entire season are consistent with their average in the previous five seasons. In July 2024, when Miguel Cardoso took over the reign from Mokoena, Masandawana finished the season with three defeats and one draw.

This compared to one loss and seven draws (2023-2024), seven draws and two defeats (2022-2023), three defeats and eight draws (2021-2022), 10 draws and one loss (2020-2021), and eight draws and five defeats (2020).

Pirates closing gap on dominant Sundowns

One thing that cannot be ignored in this Betway Premiership season is the obvious improvement of the close pursuers, Pirates. They are closing in on the gulf in class from Sundowns.

Last season, the gap in points from Sundowns to the runner-up Pirates was 14 points. In 2024, it was 17 points away from the same Buccaneers, 14 points for 2023 again from the second-place Soweto giants, 14 points for 2022 (Pirates) and13 points in 2021 (Pirates), and two points away from Kaizer Chiefs in 2020.

A blessing in disguise ahead of the CAF Champions League final?

Could this perhaps be a blessing in disguise for Sundowns to fully immerse themselves in the two-legged CAF Champions League final against AS Rabat?

Club chairman Tlhope Motsepe suggested so on Tuesday. He was quoted as saying: “…now it’s up to us to look forward and try our best to bring the energy and bring the joy next week when we play in the final for the Champions League.”

While the mood around Pretoria is now one of utter dejection, the vibe might be totally different if Miguel Cardoso wins the Champions League title.

Last season, the Portuguese mentor missed the championship by 90 minutes after falling short against eventual champions Pyramids FC. The Yellow Empire is in its most prophetic weeks in recent history.