'I'm already a winner': Williams after making final list for Caf Player of Year

Mamelodi Sundowns' goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has reacted to his nomination for the Caf Player of the Year gong, saying the nomination is as good as winning the coveted award, which has never been won by a South African player. 

Williams will fight for the award alongside Simon Adingra of Ivory Coast, Serhou Guirassy of Guinea, Ashraf Hakimi of Morocco and Nigeria's Ademola Lookman who are all based in Europe.

The 2024 Caf Awards ceremony will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday.

Speaking at Chloorkop ahead of Sundowns' first match under new coach Miguel Cardoso in the group stages of the Champions League against Raja Casablanca at Loftus on Sunday, the Bafana Bafana skipper said he was privileged and hoped it would inspire young players in the country.

Sundowns entertain the Moroccans on day three of the Champions League where they will be looking for their first victory after drawing the first two group matches against Maniema Union of DR Congo and Morocco's AS FAR.

“It's unbelievable,” said Williams of his nomination which came on the back of him helping Bafana Bafana win a bronze at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast earlier this year.

“It's an unbelievable personal achievement and obviously I would not have done it by myself. The number of clean sheets we've had over the last year. It is testimony to the work that we've done, not only me, but as a collective.

“The amount of work we do in this boardroom analysing opponents, studying opponents and checking their weaknesses, plays its part. I'm just glad and happy that I'm representing South Africa. Hopefully I inspire the coming and even current generation to dream big.

“Here is someone who's never had it smooth but is now nominated among the best goalkeepers in the world and Africa. We just need to open the doors for others to dream bigger because we can win.

“If we have the right mindset and if we persevere, because I had to persevere throughout my career and now I would be able to bear all the fruits of the hard labour I had to go through.

“For me it's unbelievable, amazing and the coach [Cardoso] can attest to how the WhatsApp [Sundowns] group was going yesterday [Thursday night]. So many messages and everyone is happy and excited.

“I'm just glad and happy to be among the great. For me I'm already a winner, just being there with the world stars. For Ronwen Williams from South Africa being there as a goalkeeper speaks volumes. It just about keep believing, keep going and hopefully inspire South Africans to stay in this level.” 

Cardoso, who started coaching Williams and the whole team on Tuesday after replacing Manqoba Mngqithi as Sundowns' head coach, praised Williams for his nomination.

“Congratulations to Ronza [Williams] for the nomination. What he says makes everybody believe that hard work pays off. Things don't just come out from the sky, it's about working hard. 

“It's inspiring and for me as coach it's wonderful. We're speaking about the high-level goalkeeper but also the high-level person. This is also important for us to understand, the kind of values that we wish everybody in the group can have.”

ALL THE NOMINEES

Men's Player of the Year: 

• Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)
• Serhou Guirassy (Guinea)
• Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
• Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)
• Ronwen Williams (SA)

Women's Player of the Year: 

• Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco)
• Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria) 
• Babra Banda (Zambia)

Coach of the Year (Women): 

• Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)
• Ahmed Ramadan (FC Masar)
• Mohamed Amine Alioua (AS FAR)
• Thinasonke Mbuli (UWC)

Coach of the Year (Men): 

• Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast)
• Sebastien Desabre (DR Congo)
• Hugo Broos (SA)

Caf Inter-club Player of the Year (Women): 

• Lacho Flora Marta (TP Mazembe)
• Doha El Madani (AS FAR)
• Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): 

• Andre Onana (Cameroon)
• Yahla Fofana (Ivory Coast)
• Ronwen Williams (SA)

Men's National Team of the Year: 

• Ivory Coast
• Nigeria
• South Africa

 Women's National Team of the Year: 

• South Africa
• Morocco
• Nigeria

Young Player of the Year (Men): 

• Habiba Sabry (Masar)
• Doha Madani (AS FAR)
• Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (Rivers Angels)

Caf Inter-Club Player of the Year (Men):

• Ahmed Zizo (Egypt)
• Hussein El Shabat (Egypt)
• Ronwen Williams (SA)

Caf Club of the Year (Men):

• Al Ahly (Egypt)
• Zamalek (Egypt)
• Mamelodi Sundowns (SA)

Caf Club of the Year (Women): 

• TP Mazembe (DR Congo)
• AS FAR (Morocco)
• Edo Queens (Nigeria)