Bafana Bafana’s number one nominated for the Yachine Trophy of the Ballon d’Or awards

The Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams (32), has been nominated as one of the top 10 best goalkeepers in the world for the Yachine Trophy of the Ballon d’Or awards.

Williams is nominated alongside some of the world’s best goalkeepers, including Argentina’s recent World Cup winner and Aston Villa’s number one Emiliano Martinez, Gianluggi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain, and Mike Miagnan of AC Milan.

Other nominees for best goalkeeper in the world include Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Diogo Costa, Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, 2024 UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid Andriy Lunin, Liverpool’s newly signed Giorgi Mamardashvili, Spain’s Unai Simón, and Inter Milan’s Yann Sommer.

Williams’ journey to establishing himself as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the country and Bafana’s number one—filling the void left by Itumeleng Khune, who was considered the best goalkeeper to ever wear the Bafana jersey—was an uphill climb.

Williams made his Bafana Bafana debut in 2014 against a highly animated Brazil side in a friendly match. Although it was a significant achievement for Ronwen, it was not a debut to remember. The Brazilians surpassed him five times, resulting in a 5-0 loss, with the then-young and dynamic Neymar Jr. scoring a hat trick.

Over the years, Williams has matured into an exceptional shot-stopper, earning considerable recognition throughout Africa. He was named Bafana Bafana captain in 2021 following the appointment of new head coach Hugo Broos. Since then, he has worked tirelessly, impressing on larger stages and solidifying his position as Bafana’s number one

Recently, the 32-year-old yielded a remarkable performance, which saw Bafana Bafana earn the bronze medal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

Williams played seven games for Bafana Bafana in the 2023 AFCON. He made 20 saves (with an 86.96% save percentage), kept 5 clean sheets, saved 6 penalty shootouts, and conceded only three goals.

He also made 40 appearances for Sundowns in all competitions for the 2023/24 season, conceding 16 goals and keeping 25 clean sheets.