Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has made history by becoming the first South African to be nominated as one of the 10 world’s best goalkeepers at the Ballon d’Or awards.
The 32-year-old Bafana Bafana captain has been rewarded for a brilliant season that included Sundowns again defending their Premier Soccer League title, but it was his performances in the Africa Cup of Nations that saw him hit the world headlines.
Bafana finished third at the 2023 tournament, their best finish since 2000, but the Gqeberha-born keeper played a massive role with key saves during the tournament. However, it was his four spectacular saves in the quarter-final penalty shootout against Cape Verde that really thrust him to the forefront of the football world.
Williams has played 43 times for South Africa since making his debut in 2014.
France Football hosts the Ballon d’Or awards every year, and the top 10 goalkeepers are nominated for the Yashin Trophy, named in honour of the legendary Soviet Union goalkeeper Lev Yashin.
Yashin Trophy nominees 2024
Diogo Costa (Portugal, Porto)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Borussia Dortmund)
Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Real Madrid)
Mike Maignan (France, Milan)
Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia, Valencia)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club)
Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Nominated for the 2024 Yachine Trophy @ronwen30 @Masandawana @BafanaBafana #ballondor pic.twitter.com/WzaNX1Qa0y
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024
