'Everyone knows Sundowns now who went to the Club World Cup,' he said.
Brayan Leon during the Mamelodi Sundowns Team Arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on 25 May 2026 © Alche Greeff/BackpagePix
Brayan León says the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s top clubs was one of the factors that attracted him to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Leon a Sundowns star already
The Colombian striker was speaking during a wide-ranging interview on Radio 2000 ahead of Sundowns’ FIFA Intercontinental Cup clash against Al-Ahli Saudi at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon.
León has quickly established himself as one of Sundowns’ key attacking players since arriving from Colombian side Independiente Medellín in January.
The 25-year-old enjoyed an impressive debut campaign with the Brazilians, scoring 15 goals in 25 appearances across the Betway Premiership and CAF Champions League.
Five of those goals came in the Champions League, including one in each leg of Sundowns’ semi-final victory over Tunisia’s Espérance.
His contribution helped the Tshwane giants secure their first continental title in 10 years and underlined why Sundowns view him as an important part of their squad.
León also revealed that Sundowns’ participation on the global stage played a role in his decision to move to South Africa.
“It is definitely one of those reasons, and everyone knows Sundowns now who went to the Club World Cup,” he 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 for me to be part of the team and helping the team to win the champions league.”
The Intercontinental Cup now provides another opportunity for Sundowns to test themselves against champions from other confederations.
‘Another level’
Ahead of Saturday’s encounter, Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams set his sights on progressing through the next two stages to face Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
For León, meanwhile, the match represents another significant step in his career. The forward believes facing Al-Ahli will provide a different level of challenge after Sundowns’ success on the African continent.
“This is another level of being African champions. Now, we go play other champions of other continents and it’s a high level,” he added.
“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.”
