Ronwen Williams on Ballon d’Or 2024: I thought they were joking

News of the announcement came on Wednesday night that the national team skipper was one of the 10 nominees considered for the FIFA Ballon d’Or goalkeeper of the year for 2024.

While Andre Onana (Cameroon), Eduardo Mendy (Senegal) and Yassine Bounou (Morocco) have previously been nominated, their recognition came when they were already playing for European clubs.

The Sundowns shot stopper said he was in disbelief when club media officer Shupi Nkgadima informed him of his latest achievement.

“I couldn’t believe it when our media officer gave me a call. I thought he was joking – I went numb, honestly. I didn’t have any feeling. I didn’t know how to feel and what to feel. But when he congratulated me and wished me well that’s when it sunk in,” Williams said on Thursday afternoon.

“My family and I had a moment, tears were flowing. It’s been a rollercoaster of a career from where I came from to where I am now. I just had a lot of mixed emotions. I am speechless – I have got no words to describe how I am feeling at the moment. It’s a surreal feeling, still in shock. It’s like it hasn’t sunk in yet,” he added.

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The 32-year-old is being recognised for helping guide Bafana to a bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this year in Cote d’Ivoire, where he saved four of five penalties in their quarter-final win over Cape Verde.

Williams said his nomination should be an inspiration for millions of South Africans waiting for their own special moments in life.

“I am just proud, excited, happy. But not for myself…more for SA as a whole. I hope this will inspire the next generation, the current players to just believe and chase their dreams. To believe that us as South Africans can achieve the unthinkable. I can’t express how I am 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 and obviously so many people I can thank, so many coaches, teammates who helped me throughout the journey. This didn’t start now, but years ago,” he reflected.