‘Big for African football, Sundowns’: Mngqithi on Ronwen’s huge night at Ballon D’Or

Bafana Bafana captain will rub shoulders with the biggest soccer stars in Paris as a nominee for the Yashin Trophy

Marc Strydom Digital Sports Editor
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams saves the fifth penalty of the shootout in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal win against Cape Verde at Stade Charles Konan in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, on February 3 2024.
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams saves the fifth penalty of the shootout in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal win against Cape Verde at Stade Charles Konan in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, on February 3 2024.
Image: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Ronwen Williams’ huge night in Paris for the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony is also a big night for African football, South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns, Brazilians coach Manqoba Mngqithi says.

Williams will rub shoulders with the biggest stars of the game on Monday night as, after a superb year crowned by being named Africa Cup of Nations goalkeeper of the tournament in February, he will be one of the nominees for the Yashin Trophy for best keeper in the world.

The Ballon d’Or awards take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet (9.45pm).

Williams made history in September as the first goalkeeper to be nominated for the award while playing for an African club. He was the only African in the 10 nominees.

The former SuperSport United player is the fourth African goalkeeper to be nominated for the Yashin Trophy — named after legendary Russian shot-stopper Lev Yashin — after Cameroonian Andre Onana, Senegalese Edouard Mendy and Moroccan Yassine Bounou.

Ronwen Williams' penalty saves in the shootout against Cape Verde in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in Ivory Coast in February (Xhosa commentary). - Mazwayi Voxeka

Williams did not turn out for Sundowns as they suffered their first Betway Premiership defeat of the 2024-25 season on Sunday, 1-0 against Polokwane City at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Mngqithi was asked after the game about the Bafana Bafana captain’s big night in Paris.

“It’s very good for the club, it’s very good for the country and it’s very good for the continent to be recognised at that level,” Downs’ coach said.

“I think for the player himself and his family it’s something unbelievable because nobody would have thought a goalkeeper from Sundowns would get a nomination for the Ballon d’Or as one of the best keepers in the world. That speaks volumes.

“The fact he is even there, regardless of the outcome, this is very big for African football and very big for Sundowns. And it’s very big for all of us in South Africa. We should be very proud we have one of our own representing us at that level.”

Final Score pundits Chris Sutton and Martin Keown discuss who they think will win the 2024 Ballon d'Or - and look back at some of the past winners they have played against. - BBC Sport

The Ballon d’Or has been presented by magazine France Football since 1956 to its best footballer of the northern hemisphere season. It is normally presented in October. It should not be confused with Fifa’s Best Award, which is normally presented at the end of a calendar year and covers that period.

The Fifa Ballon d’Or was presented in a five-year period where Fifa and France Football merged their awards from 2010 to 2015.

“In a joint partnership between Uefa and the Groupe Amaury, owner of France Football and L'Equipe, the 2024 Ballon d'Or awards honour the year's best players, coaches and clubs in addition to the top scorer, goalkeeper, young player and humanitarian,” Uefa.com stated.

There was confusion among the public after some reporting in South Africa a few weeks ago that suggested the award was decided by a public vote.

The public was encouraged to vote for Williams but were directed to a poll being taken by another famous French sports magazine, L'Equipe. France Football is part of the same media group as L'Equipe.

Vinicius Jr or Rodri for Ballon d'Or?. - Sky Sports News

A panel of journalists from the top 100 Fifa-ranked nations for men’s football and the top 50 for women’s football cast the votes. The journalists rank their top five players with points awarded by the rank: first place gets six points, second place gets four, third gets three, fourth gets two and fifth gets one point.

Williams saved four penalties in a quarterfinal shoot-out win over Cape Verde at this year's Nations Cup to take Bafana to their first semifinal in 24 years.

He kept five clean sheets in seven games at the Nations Cup, four of those in succession, and conceded three goals as South Africa won the bronze medal.

Williams also helped steer Sundowns to the 2023-24 Caf Champions League semifinals and seventh Premiership title in succession with a record 72 points.

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or.

2024 Ballon d’Or nominees

Men's Ballon d'Or:

  • Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
  • Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Türkiye, Inter)
  • Dani Carvajal (Spain, Real Madrid)
  • Rúben Dias (Portugal, Manchester City)
  • Artem Dovbyk (Ukraine, Dnipro/Girona/Roma)
  • Phil Foden (England, Manchester City)
  • Alejandro Grimaldo (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
  • Mats Hummels (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
  • Harry Kane (England, Bayern München)
  • Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid)
  • Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta)
  • Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
  • Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter)
  • Kylian Mbappé (France, Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid)
  • Martin Ødegaard (Norway, Arsenal)
  • Dani Olmo (Spain, Leipzig/Barcelona)
  • Cole Palmer (England, Manchester City/Chelsea)
  • Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
  • Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
  • Antonio Rüdiger (Germany, Real Madrid)
  • Bukayo Saka (England, Arsenal)
  • William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
  • Federico Valverde (Uruguay, Real Madrid)
  • Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
  • Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Nico Williams (Spain, Athletic Club)
  • Florian Wirtz (Germany, Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Granit Xhaka (Switzerland, Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Women's Ballon d'Or:

  • Barbra Banda (Zambia, Shanghai RCB/Orlando Pride)
  • Aitana Bonmatí (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Lucy Bronze (England, Barcelona/Chelsea)
  • Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Barcelona/Arsenal)
  • Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi, Paris Saint-Germain/Lyon)
  • Grace Geyoro (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Manuela Giugliano (Italy, Roma)
  • Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
  • Patricia Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Giulia Gwinn (Germany, Bayern München)
  • Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
  • Ada Hegerberg (Norway, Lyon)
  • Lauren Hemp (England, Manchester City)
  • Lindsey Horan (USA, Lyon)
  • Lauren James (England, Chelsea)
  • Marie-Antoinette Katoto (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Alyssa Naeher (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
  • Sjoeke Nüsken (Germany, Chelsea)
  • Ewa Pajor (Poland, Wolfsburg/Barcelona)
  • Salma Paralluelo (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Gabi Portilho (Brazil, Corinthians)
  • Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Mayra Ramírez (Colombia, Levante/Chelsea)
  • Trinity Rodman (USA, Washington Spirit)
  • Lea Schüller (Germany, Bayern München)
  • Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
  • Sophia Smith (USA, Portland Thorns)
  • Mallory Swanson (USA, Chicago Red Stars)
  • Tarciane (Brazil, Corinthians/Houston Dash)
  • Glódís Viggósdóttir (Iceland, Bayern München)

 

Yashin Trophy (for the best goalkeeper)

  • Diogo Costa (Portugal, Porto)
  • Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Borussia Dortmund)
  • Andriy Lunin (Ukraine, Real Madrid)
  • Mike Maignan (France, Milan)
  • Giorgi Mamardashvili (Georgia, Valencia)
  • Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa)
  • Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club)
  • Yann Sommer (Switzerland, Inter)
  • Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)

Kopa Trophy (for the best player under the age of 21 as of July 31 2024):

  • Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina, Manchester United)
  • Arda Güler (Türkiye, Real Madrid)
  • Karim Konaté (Ivory Coast, Salzburg)
  • Kobbie Mainoo (England, Manchester United)
  • João Neves (Portugal, Benfica/Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Savinho (Brazil, Girona/Manchester City)
  • Mathys Tel (France, Bayern München)
  • Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
  • Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, Paris Saint-Germain)

Men's Coach of the Year Trophy (best coach of a men's club or national team):

  • Xabi Alonso (Spain, Bayer Leverkusen)
  • Carlo Ancelotti (Italy, Real Madrid)
  • Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain)
  • Gian Piero Gasperini (Italy, Atalanta)
  • Pep Guardiola (Spain, Manchester City)
  • Lionel Scaloni (Argentina, Argentina)

Women's Coach of the Year Trophy (best coach of a women's club or national team):

  • Sonia Bompastor (France, Lyon/Chelsea)
  • Arthur Elias (Brazil, Corinthians/Brazil)
  • Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, Barcelona/Washington Spirit)
  • Emma Hayes (England, Chelsea/US)
  • Filipa Patão (Portugal, Benfica)
  • Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands, England)

Men’s Club of the Year Trophy:

  • Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
  • Girona (Spain)
  • Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
  • Manchester City (England)
  • Real Madrid (Spain)

 


Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.