Analysis: Is Cardoso Right? Is Allende Really Undervalued?

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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has questioned why Marcello Allende has never been named the PSL’s Midfielder of the Season during his five years in South Africa, describing the omission as evidence that the country has failed to recognize the Chilean’s quality.

Following Sundowns’ 2-0 victory over Marumo Gallants on Wednesday, Allende was named Man of the Match after another influential performance in the middle of the park. For Cardoso, however, the recognition was long overdue.

Speaking to SuperSport after the match, the Portuguese coach delivered a pointed assessment of how South African football has evaluated his midfielder.

“I think South Africa doesn’t recognise the quality of the player that Marcelo is. It’s unbelievable after five years, he never was the midfielder of the season.”

Cardoso went on to suggest that Allende’s current campaign could finally bring the recognition he deserves, particularly with the midfielder entering what could be his final year at the Brazilians.

The comments raise a legitimate question: has South African football genuinely undervalued Allende, or is the lack of individual awards simply a reflection of stiff competition and the difficulty of standing out within a team that dominates domestically?

There is certainly an argument to be made in Cardoso’s favour. Allende is not the type of midfielder whose performances can always be captured by the most obvious statistics. He is not constantly producing goals and assists, nor is he always the player dominating headlines after every match. Yet his importance to Sundowns is difficult to overlook.

The 27-year-old has increasingly become one of the heartbeat players in Cardoso’s side, influencing both sides of the game.

He is trusted to help Sundowns progress the ball during build-up, while also contributing defensively and helping the team maintain control in midfield.

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Perhaps one of the clearest indications of his efficiency comes from the numbers. According to OptaJabu, among players who have scored at least five league goals in the PSL since the start of last season, Allende has the best shots-per-goal ratio.

He has scored five goals from just 15 shots, meaning he has needed only three shots per goal.

That statistic does not tell the entire story of Allende’s game, but it does underline something important: when he does get into scoring positions, he is remarkably efficient. The bigger question is how much of his overall contribution is missed when looking purely at traditional attacking numbers.

Allende’s value often comes in the moments before the final pass, the positioning that prevents an opposition attack from developing, the ability to retain possession under pressure, and the decision-making that allows Sundowns to dictate the rhythm of a match.

He rarely appears rushed. He rarely gives the ball away cheaply. And he often seems to be in the right place before the situation develops.

That is part of what makes assessing his contribution so difficult. A midfielder can dominate a match without scoring or assisting. He can make the correct pass that starts a move without receiving an assist. He can recover possession before an opponent creates a chance. He can offer himself as an option in build-up, allowing another player to progress the ball. He can occupy the correct space and prevent the opposition from exploiting an area.

None of those actions necessarily make a highlights package. They do, however, make a midfielder valuable.

That may be the strongest argument in favor of Cardoso’s claim. Allende’s importance to Sundowns has not always translated into individual awards.

The Chilean has played alongside some of the biggest names in South African football and within a team that has regularly dominated domestic competition.

That can sometimes work against individual recognition because exceptional performances become part of the expectation.

At Sundowns, winning is the standard. Controlling matches is the standard. Playing well is the standard. As a result, a player who consistently performs at a high level can almost become invisible within the collective.

There is also the question of competition. The PSL has produced some outstanding midfielders like Teboho Mokoena and Makhehlene Makhaula during Allende’s time in South Africa, meaning being overlooked for a Midfielder of the Season award does not automatically mean he has been poor or ignored.

But five years without winning the award does raise a legitimate question.

If Allende has consistently been among the best midfielders in the league, why has that recognition never arrived? Perhaps Cardoso’s comments are less about saying his player has been robbed of every individual award and more about pointing toward a broader issue in how midfielders are judged.

Goals and assists are easy to understand. So are spectacular passes, long-range goals, and match-winning moments. The less visible work is harder to quantify. And that is where Allende’s case becomes particularly interesting.

He is the type of player who can influence a game without necessarily owning it. He connects phases. He gives Sundowns control.

He helps the team play through pressure. He contributes defensively. He keeps possession moving. And when the opportunity presents itself, the numbers suggest he can be highly efficient in front of goal.

So, is Cardoso right? There is certainly enough evidence to argue that Allende has not always received the individual recognition his performances warrant. Whether he has been the best midfielder in the PSL in each of the past five seasons is a different debate.

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But there is a strong case that his importance to Sundowns has sometimes been easier to appreciate when watching the entire match than when looking at a list of statistics or individual awards. And perhaps that is exactly why Cardoso feels so strongly about it.

With Allende potentially approaching the final year of his Sundowns contract, the midfielder may have one more opportunity to turn consistent influence into individual recognition. After Wednesday’s Man of the Match award, he has already started making that case again.

The question is whether South African football is finally ready to acknowledge it.

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