Ronwen Williams up for Ballon d’Or award

Ronwen Williams has another reason to smile after cracking a nomination at the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards. The Bafana Bafana captain is one of 10 goalkeepers in the world nominated for the Yashin Trophy award. 

Williams is up against some of the best shot stoppers in world football. The 32-year-old had a season to remember for both club and country in the last 12 months. He helped Mamelodi Sundowns win the newly-named Betway Premiership and the African Football League.

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The former SuperSport United man also guided Bafana Bafana to a bronze medal finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year. 

Williams was named the goalkeeper of the tournament in Abidjan. For his efforts on the domestic front, he walked away with both the PSL Footballer of The Season and Goalkeeper of The Season awards to complement what has been an incredible year for him. 

Williams will be hoping to see his name in lights and become the first South African goal minder to win the prestigious award at a glittering ceremony that will be held in Paris on October 28. 

He’s the only African goalkeeper in line for the award and he will be up against Copa America winner Emiliano Martinez of Argentina. Ukraine’s Andriy Lunin is another strong contender after he helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champion League.

Williams made international news when he saved four spot kicks in the penalty shoot-out win over Cape Verde at AFCON to help South Africa reach the semifinal of the competition for the first time since 2000.

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Also nominated for the gong are Italian and Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Mike Maignan of France and AC Milan. Completing the 10-men list are:

·         Diogo Costa (Porto and Portugal).

·         Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund and Switzerland).

·         Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia and Georgia).

·         Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao and Spain).

·         Yann Sommer (Switzerland and Inter Milan).