Retired Cameroon striker Alain Amougou believes his former club Mamelodi Sundowns have earned the respect of the continent and have the right to be referred to as African giants going forward.
Sundowns have so far made light work of their CAF Champions League campaign winning all six of their matches this term including all four they have played in Group B.
Last night The Brazilians completed a double over TP Mazembe after having already suffocated Sudanese club Al-Hilal Omdurman before hammering Algerian champions CR Belouizdad to seal their place as group winners, thus qualifying for the quarter-finals at the halfway mark.
"Sundowns have now earned the respect of everyone on the continent because their results speak for them," Amougou tells snl24.com/kickoff from his base in Cameroon.
Sundowns are unbeaten this season in the league and cruising on a run of 25 games without defeat across all competitions in the current campaign.
Downs have ruled domestic football winning the league four times in a row and are favourites to add the fifth this season after having won the treble last term.
"You earn respect by winning matches and winning trophies. I have been following Sundowns and even last night I watched the game, and this Sundowns team is doing better than us when I was at Sundowns at Sundowns [1999-2002].
"We lost in the final of the Champions League, but this group won the trophy in 2016 so how can they not be better than us? They have won everything that we won and even added more trophies. I wish I knew why they are doing so well but unfortunately, I am not inside and can only say what I see from a distance.
"What is without doubt is how much respect they have from all of us even here in Cameroon – a country that has given Sundowns great players like Roger Feutmba and Thomas Libiih. So, the first respect is that they know Sundowns from these players and now that Sundowns is doing well in Africa, everybody knows about them.
"Results are talking for Sundowns and there is no need to analyse. Today Sundowns is a good example in Africa because they hire from everywhere and are not suffering financially. The Sundowns owner is now the president of CAF so that tells you how much of an impact Sundowns have made on the continent.
"Sundowns have inspired many on the continent and they are known better in Africa than all South African clubs. There is no one who doesn't know Sundowns today in Africa," says Amougou.
Amougou spent three years at Sundowns, with his 15 goals in his first season aiding The Brazilians to their third consecutive league title in 1999/00.