Sundowns star Williams nominated at Ballon d’Or Awards

Bafana Bafana captain and Mamelodi Sundowns star Ronwen Williams has made history by being one of the 10 goalkeepers nominated for the prestigious Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d'Or awards. Williams is the first South African to earn this notable recognition.

Despite currently being sidelined with an injury, causing him to miss the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan, his recent form has been nothing short of spectacular.

Williams has been a standout performer for both Sundowns and the national team in recent years.

His impressive displays were crucial in helping Sundowns clinch the inaugural African Football League title and the 2023/24 Premiership trophy.

Over the course of the 2023/24 season, Williams made 46 appearances, amassing 4 200 minutes on the pitch.

During this time, he conceded just 19 goals while maintaining 30 clean sheets, reflecting his outstanding consistency and skills.

Williams’s stellar form earned him both the AFL Goalkeeper of the Tournament and the PSL Goalkeeper of the Season awards, further enhancing his reputation as one of Africa’s top goalkeepers.

His heroics were especially evident on the continental stage.

In February, he made headlines in Bafana Bafana’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal against Cape Verde by saving four penalties, propelling the team to a historic bronze medal – South Africa’s best Afcon finish since 2000. Williams was also named Goalkeeper of the Tournament for his efforts.

The Yashin Trophy nomination places Williams alongside some of the world's top goalkeepers, including Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Andriy Lunin (Real Madrid), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao), and Yann Sommer (Inter Milan).

The award, named after legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin, who remains the only keeper to have won the Ballon d'Or (1963), honours the best goalkeeping talent worldwide.

Previous winners of the Yashin Trophy include Emiliano Martinez (2023), Thibaut Courtois (2022), Gianluigi Donnarumma (2021), and Alisson Becker (2019).

The winner will be revealed during the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, which will take place in Paris on 28 October.

Nominated for the 2024 Yachine Trophy @ronwen30 @Masandawana @BafanaBafana #ballondor pic.twitter.com/WzaNX1Qa0y
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024