Williams on CAF Nominations: “It’s testament to the collective work we have done”

By Ayanda Nyuswa

Mamelodi Sundowns and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has attributed his three 2024 CAF award nominations to the collective efforts and work done at Sundowns and the national team. Williams’ exceptional performances in 2024 have seen him get recognised by massive institutions with award nominations, most notably the Ballon D’Or awards who nominated him for the 2024 Lev Yashin trophy, as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet. The talented shot-stopper showed his best form at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote D’Ivoire, where his goalkeeping heroics helped South Africa to claim a Bronze medal and goalkeeper of the tournament award. 

The latest recognition has come from the biggest football awards on the African continent, as he walked away with three nominations at the 2024 CAF Awards. Williams has been nominated for the the CAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the year, CAF Men’s Interclub player of the year and the CAF Men’s Player of the year award. The Gqeberha-born goalie headlines South Africa’s list of nominees with Andile Dlamini (Women’s Goalkeeper of the year), Hugo Broos (Men’s coach of the year), Thinasonke Mbuli (Women’s coach of the year), Bafana Bafana (Men’s National team of the year), Banyana Banyana (Women’s National team of the year) and Mamelodi Sundowns (Men’s club of the year) also feature on the nominations list.

“Unbelievable personal achievement, but obviously I couldn’t have done it by myself,” said Williams to reporters. “The amount of clean sheets we have had over the last year is testament to the work we have done, not only myself but the collective.

The amount of work that we do in this boardroom, analysing opponents, studying opponents strenghts and weaknesses, you know, it plays a part. I am just glad and happy that I am representing South Africa and hopefully I can inspire the next generation, even the current generation to dream big. Here is someone who didn’t alway have it smoothly but now he has been nominated among the best keepers in the world and now Africa as well. Just needs to open doors for others to dream bigger, to go and win it (the awards). Because we can do it, if we have the right mind-set, if we fight and perservere, because I had to perservere throughout my career. Now I am bearing the fruits of all the hard labour I had to go through.