Bafana Bafana’s midfield maestro getting his flowers with 50th cap in the offing

Zwane, who made his debut for Bafana 10 years ago during a goalless draw in New Zealand under coach Gordon Igesund, has come a long way at this level.

Arguably the best Premier Soccer League (PSL) footballer in the last decade, Zwane commands a lot of respect amongst his peers, and Williams says his Mamelodi Sundowns teammate is an extraordinary player.

"Yeah, amazing, amazing human being, amazing player, one of the greats of South African football and we're just proud to have him in our team. For us it's a blessing to see him each and every day, showcasing his skill and his talent,” Williams said.

“Mshishi has achieved so much but yet he still puts in extra work, despite his age, despite all the setbacks that he has, he keeps going and keeps looking to get better."

Williams and Zwane are currently the longest-serving members in this Bafana squad, having been part of the national team set-up for more than 10 years, and both made their debuts in 2014. 

Initially, Zwane was not part of Hugo Broos’s team in the first year, but he worked his way into the team the following year (2022), and he’s been championing the attack of Bafana since then. 

With 12 goals at the international level, eight of those have come from the last two years under the Belgian-born coach, and Williams says the 35-year-old continues to be an example in this team.

"You know and that's just the mentality that he's had throughout his career. I mean we started together, I think it was in 2012, we got the call up at the same time and to see 13 years down the line, we are still together, it's amazing,” he added.

“It speaks volumes of his professionalism and it's a massive milestone for him as a leader. As a friend of his, I'm just proud of him and there's more to come from Mshishi."