Portuguese Cardoso has been appointed coach of Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African champions

Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African champions who will play in the Club World Cup in the United States next year, fired Manqoba Mngqithi on Tuesday and appointed Portuguese Miguel Cardoso as their new manager.

The Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe’s family owns the Pretoria club, which has had two coaching changes in as many months.

AEK Athens, La Liga team Celta Vigo, Nantes, France, and Rio Ave, Portugal were all coached by 52-year-old Cardoso.

After a dismal start to the new season, he was fired in October, despite having led the Tunisian team Esperance to the African Champions League final the previous season.

Following a shocking defeat in the South African League Cup final last month and Sundowns drawing their first two games in the group stage of this season’s Champions League, Mngqithi’s resignation was announced.

Rulani Mokwena, who was fired despite winning the league by a record 23 points, had been replaced by him in July.

Next June, Sundowns will compete in the Club World Cup in Group F alongside Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense, and Ulsan HD of South Korea.