Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams says he’s in shock after he was announced as one of the nominees announced for the Yashin Trophy at the upcoming Ballon d’Or Awards.
The Yashin Trophy — named in honour of the late Soviet great Lev Yashin — is an award given to the best goalkeeper in the world over a calendar year.
For his exploits at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, where he saved four penalties in a row as Bafana Bafana beat Cape Verde on spot kicks to book their place in the semi-finals, Williams has been nominated alongside some of the biggest names in football.
Ronza; No DNA, just RSA! 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦pic.twitter.com/MDmcNmpysc
— TotalEnergiesCAFCL & TotalEnergiesCAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) September 4, 2024
The 32-year-old Gqeberha-born Williams is nominated alongside 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).
Reacting to the nomination on Thursday, the Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper said: “I am speechless, I’ve got no words to describe how I’m feeling at the moment.
“I’m still in shock. It’s like it hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m just proud, excited, happy — not for myself, more for South Africa as a whole," he was quoted by the Sundowns media team.
Nominated for the 2024 Yachine Trophy @ronwen30 @Masandawana @BafanaBafana #ballondor pic.twitter.com/WzaNX1Qa0y
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024
“I hope this will inspire the next generation, inspire the current players to just believe and chase their dream. To believe that us as South Africans we can achieve the unthinkable.
“I can’t express how I’m really feeling. It’s like my body has left me. I’ve never had a feeling like this before, but I’m just proud of myself.
“Obviously, so many people that I can thank, so many coaches, teammates, who helped me throughout the journey. This didn’t start now, it started years and years ago. Obviously, thank my parents also.”
IOL Sport