Bafana Bafana’s captain Williams makes an epic plea to the football gods for AFCON glory

Captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams expressed optimism about the team’s prospects at AFCON 2025, while acknowledging the heightened competition Bafana Bafana will face.

Williams addressed the media in Morocco on Sunday ahead of Monday evening’s Group B clash against Angola.

Williams focused on both the spirit within the camp and the challenges they face in their quest for continental glory.

The group stage match is a pivotal moment for the South African national team.

Williams, a seasoned player with significant international experience, knows the stakes have never been higher, yet he remains buoyed by his teammates’ potential.

“I think obviously we’ve had a wonderful few years, I think we’ve been unbeaten since the previous AFCON,” remarked Williams, adding, “hopefully the football gods will bless South Africa with the AFCON trophy”.

The team feels more confident due to its impressive track record. Williams emphasised that winning AFCON is challenging, stating, “It’s not an easy tournament to win. It’s challenging, but we believe we can advance further.”

Williams emphasised the importance of demonstrating the unit’s growth. “We have the ability, we have the quality, but we need to show up and showcase how far we’ve come as a team,” he affirmed.

Reflecting on the previous AFCON, where South Africa finished impressively in third place, Williams anticipates a more challenging landscape this year.

“Obviously, people know what South Africa, the team, is about now. We’ve been unbeaten for the past two years,” he explained.

Acknowledging his team’s previous successes against strong opponents, including a round of 16 win against Morocco, Williams stated, “People take a keen interest in Bafana Bafana now to see that there is a team that can perform - that can play against the best.”

However, the captain is well aware that as a recognised contender, they will have a target on their backs: “We know that we will have a target on our back -- people will do their analysis on us, but it’s a good headache to have for us, because now we know the level has increased.”

He stressed the need for the team to rise to the occasion if they aim to achieve greater heights than they did previously.

In a similar vein, head coach Hugo Broos echoed Williams’ sentiments about the heightened expectations and tough competition.

“It’s always very dangerous to put yourself as the favourites. I think this is something that has to be done by the media or supporters,” Broos said cautiously (after a pressman suggested South Africa is one of the favourites).

He noted that the collective strengths of other teams have improved, suggesting that mistakes from previous tournaments will not recur. “All the big teams will still be there after the group stages. That means it will be very tough to win this AFCON,” he explained.

The group stage will see South Africa facing esteemed teams: after Angola, they will take on Egypt on Boxing Day and conclude the group fixtures against Zimbabwe.

This year’s tournament structure means the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will progress to the knockout rounds.

With the final set for 18 January in Rabat, all eyes will be on whether Bafana can secure their ambition of exceeding their last AFCON performance.