Mamelodi Sundowns have been given a pat on the back for their transfer business acumen on Lucas Ribeiro Costa.
Ribeiro has delivered non-stop throughout the two years that he has spent at Sundowns after spending six years struggling to make first league impact in Europe.
His resume shows that after leaving Brazil, he went to the reserve team of then French Second Division club Valenciennes in July 2017 and was promoted to the first team the following year.
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After finding little joy in France, Ribeiro then went across the border to Belgium, where he also played in the second tier for Royal Excelsior Virton, before stints at Chaleroi SC, RWD Molenbeek, Royal Excel Mouscron, and SK Beveren.
His top-league appearances totalled 98 minutes in Belgium while at Chaleroi during the first half of the 2020/21 season.
Fast-forward to two years into his time at Sundowns, the Brazilian has made good of his career move of dumping Europe for South Africa, which some critics labelled as being backwards.
For all the goals and assists that he has delivered on the domestic scene and the continent, Ribeiro has now taken his show to the global stage.
One goal and one assist in two games at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup means his evaluation upon the end of the tournament will bring Sundowns wide margins of profits should they be tempted to sell.
"He is a very good player that can even play here in the Brazil league and Sundowns did well to find him in Belgium," says former Orlando Pirates forward Freitas Camilo, who is of Brazilian origin.
"Everyone has seen him here in Brazil and I will not be surprised if some teams try to bring him back home.
"The teams here in Brazil are able to bring players back from Europe, so I see no reason why they shouldn’t make the push to bring Ribeiro from Africa.
"We have teams that easily pay whatever Sundowns think he is worth now and Sundowns want to make money, they can sell now.
"He is a player that I think should earn Sundowns about USD5 million (approx. R90 million) and the teams here will pay that with ease.
"He arrived at this Club World Cup not known to the world, including his people back home in Brazil.
"They now know him and I’m sure everyone will agree that he is even good enough to play in the top league in Brazil.
"It will be interesting what Sundowns decide to do should there be an offer after this World Cup, which I think is coming especially from clubs here in Brazil.
"I don’t see the guy turning down an opportunity to come and play in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, be it for Corinthians or Cruzeiro," says Camilo.
Ribeiro has delivered 60 goals/assists in 87 appearances at Sundowns.
Photo: Eurasia Sport Images
