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ICYMI: South Africa’s goalkeeper makes Ballon d’Or history

South Africa’s number one goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams has made history with his Wednesday’s nomination for the 2024 Ballon d’Or best goalkeeper award.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Williams made history as the first ever footballer playing in Africa to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or award.

While several African footballers, plying their trades elsewhere, especially in Europe, have been nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, no footballer playing in the African continent had been nominated for the award.

The acrobatic shot-stopper historically made the list of Goalkeeper of the Year nominees for world football’s most prestigious individual trophy, the Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy.

Not only is this a first for Africa, but the Bafana Bafana skipper makes continental history as the first ever footballer playing in Africa to be nominated for the award.

As the only African based keeper, Williams made the list of 10 best shot-stoppers in the world which include current holder, Emiliano Martez (Argentina), Unai Simon (Spain) as well as Diogo Costa (Portugal) amongst others.

To date, African football icon George Weah remains the only African to be voted the best player in the world after winning the Ballon d’Or in 1995 ahead of Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann and Finland’s Jari Litman. Weah was also the first non-European to win the award.

Williams (32) has seen a meteoric rise since joining former African champions Mamelodi Sundowns from cross-town rivals and boyhood club, SuperSport United in July 2022.

The Bafana Bafana skipper was a pivotal cog in Mamelodi Sundowns’ back-to-back titles since joining the club. A feat that elevated his place in the national team to being the number one goalkeeper.

The Gqeberha-born goalkeeper literally grabbed the challenge of being Hugo Broos’ trusted keeper with both hands, putting up undoubtedly one of the standout performances at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023, where he denied Cape Verde four times in a quarter-final penalty shootout.

Williams’ acrobatic and penalty saves also came to the fore in the third-place play-off against DR Congo where he saved two penalties to help his nation to a podium finish that was accompanied by him being voted the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the continental showpiece.

The Sundowns keeper, who is currently out nursing a shoulder injury was also instrumental in Sundowns’ African Football League (AFL) triumph, playing a crucial role as the last line of defence in helping his side to their second continental trophy after their 2016 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League success.

The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony will take place on Monday, 28 October 2024.

The Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy nominees are: Diogo Costa (Portugal), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Gregor Kobel (Switzerland), Andriy Lunin (Ukraine), Mike Maignan (France), Giorgi Mamarsdashvili (Georgia), Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Unai Simon (Spain), Yann Sommer (Switzerland), Ronwen Williams (South Africa).

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