The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper has shared how he felt following his selection
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams admits it still feels like a dream following his nomination for the Ballon d’Or Award.
Williams made history when he became the first South African player, and first player playing for an African-based team, to be nominated for the prestigious award last week.
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper was nominated for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper, and he is up against top goalkeepers such as Diogo Costa of FC Porto and Portugal, Gianluigi Donnarumma of Paris Saint-Germain and Italy and Frenchman Mike Maignan, who plays for AC Milan.
Other nominees are Emilian Martinez of Argentina and Aston Villa, Giorgi Mamardashvili from Georgia, who recently left Valencia for Liverpool, Ukrainian Andriy Lunin of Real Madrid and Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund.
How does it feel to be a Ballon d’Or nominee?
“I have already achieved greatness. If am there in the top three, if I am not, I know I have instilled hope in South Africans and the young generation, maybe even my generation and the current generation, so I am just glad and happy that I could get celebrated not only myself but the whole of South Africa,” Williams told Marawa Sports Worldwide.
“I don’t know if it would ever sink in. As humbled as one is, this is something that you don’t even dream of. I can’t say I dreamed about being in the top 10 or even top 100 in the world.
“It is amazing and I am lost for words. I can’t really describe it. I try and keep my mind off it but there is always something that takes me back and I just get this feeling in my stomach all the time. The goosebumps.”
Williams says the nomination is the reward for the hard work he has been putting in, having started his career at Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur’s academy, before moving to SuperSport United as a youth player in 2004.
The reward of hard and sacrifice for Williams
The goalkeeper made his senior team debut for Matsatsantsa in 2012 before signing for Sundowns 10 years later.
“That is why I always try to keep busy so that I do not think about it. Now I am dreaming about what suit I am going to wear, the walk, the red carpet just representing South Africa,” he added.
“Just happy that years of hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, not giving up on myself is finally paying off.”
The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held in Paris on October 28.
