Mamelodi Sundowns striker Brayan León has opened up about the motivations behind his move to the Brazilians, revealing that the club’s penchant for competing against the world’s elite was a decisive factor in his decision to leave Independiente Medellín in January. Speaking to Radio 2000 ahead of Saturday’s FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup clash with Al-Ahli Saudi at Loftus Versfeld, the Colombian forward said Sundowns’ habit of lining up against top-tier international opposition convinced him that the move was the right one.
“It is definitely one of those reasons, and everyone knows Sundowns now who went to the Club World Cup,” León said. “Playing the way they did against Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense—you could tell that this is a top team. That on its own was showing the direction that the club was taking, and I wanted to be part of that and help the team win the Champions League.”
León has wasted little time proving his worth. In 25 appearances across the Betway Premiership and CAF Champions League, he has scored 15 goals, including five in Africa’s premier club competition—one in each leg of the semi-final victory over Espérance as Sundowns claimed their first continental title in a decade.
Now, the focus shifts to Al-Ahli, a different kind of challenge. Captain Ronwen Williams has already set the target: two more wins, and then a potential final against Paris Saint-Germain. For León, the encounter represents the highest level of football he has ever faced.
“This is another level of being African champions,” he said. “Now we go play other champions of other continents, and it’s a high level. This is a top game that I’m about to play. Champions versus champions of the continents. It will be the highest level that I’ve played, and I’m ready for the game.”
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