Bafana Bafana captain first African-based player nominated for Ballon d’Or 2024
Ronwen Williams had a stellar 2023/24 season!
South African sport has been on another level in the last couple of years.
From World Cup wins to breaking records at the 2024 Paralympics, our sports stars have been proudly representing us all around the world.
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Now there is another accomplishment that will give SA football fans massive bragging rights.
At the 2023 African Cup of Nations, Ronwen Williams did something rare in the world of football.
During the quarter-finals against Cape Verde, he saved four penalties, which secured Bafana Bafana's place in the semi-final.
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At the end of the day, the SA team managed to grab the bronze medal thanks to an amazing team effort and led by their captain, Williams.
Success didn't just come overnight for the soccer star.
He signed for Mamelodi Sundowns in 2022, 10 years after starting his senior soccer career.
Now he has been nominated for one of the biggest awards in football.
(I'm) Just happy that years of hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, not giving up on myself is finally paying off.
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Williams has now become the first-ever African-based footballer to be nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or Yachine Trophy.
The award is presented by France Football as part of one of the most prestigious sports ceremonies.
It is awarded to the best-performing goalkeeper of the year.
In 2024, Williams joins a list of elite footballers in this year's nominations:
Congratulatory messages have been rolling in from all over the world, but South Africans are beaming with the most pride!
-AFCON golden glove
— 🅨🅔🅛🅛🅞🅜🅐🅝 (@YELL0MAN) September 11, 2024
-African Football League Golden Glove
-PSL Footballer of Season
-PSL Goalkeeper of Season
It will criminality against football if all this isn’t enough for Ronwen Williams to win ballon d'Or Yachine award for best goalkeepers globally #Sundowns #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/YUcyN3pOdB
We see you Ronwen https://t.co/7aqS0dSswE pic.twitter.com/5b6tfPqHcB
— 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦#freepalestine 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩 (@thabang_moerane) September 4, 2024
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday, 28 October 2024.
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Main image courtesy of @ESPNAfrica/X