Sundowns lost 1-0 to Zamalek in Alexandria in Egypt, but their 3-0 win in Pretoria during the first leg of the CAF Champions League final was enough to ensure they win on a 3-2 aggregate.

It is just the second time that a team from South Africa has won the Champions League, after Orlando Pirates won the tournament back in 1995.

The match in Egypt was played in hostile conditions in front of 76 000 fanatical Zamalek supporters.

Mosimane says he is proud of his team for soaking up the pressure to ensure the title comes back to South Africa.

“It was difficult to play in front of the White Knight supporters, it was the first time we had ever faced such a big crowd.

“But I instructed my players before the game to go out and walk on the pitch, as if they stayed in the dressing room, they would get a shock when they came out. So we dealt well with that.

“I’m proud of my boys, playing for the first time in front of such a big crowd and we won the trophy.”

Sundowns will now become the first South African team to play in the FIFA World Club Championships and could face the likes of the world football heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Atlético Nacional of Colombia and Mexico’s Club América in Tokyo.

The Brazilians' first opponents with be Auckland City from New Zealand in the quarter-finals and this match will be played on 11 December.

Morgan Piek/OFM Sport