Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has revealed the most important match he has ever played for Bafana Bafana, an encounter he attributes his stellar international career to despite being on the losing side. 

The SuperSport United academy graduate will be celebrating a decade-long anniversary with the national team when Hugo Broos’ charges tackle South Sudan in their last match of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers at DHL Cape Town stadium on Tuesday (18h00). 

However, Williams’ journey to becoming the country’s number one in between the sticks wasn’t smooth sailing having made his debut against five-time World champions Brazil at FNB stadium in March 2014. 

The 32-year-old shot-stopper conceded five goals in his first game in goal with Neymar scoring a hat-trick, and he considers the drubbing as the best game of his 49 Bafana Bafana caps as he believes the defeat fast-tracked his development as a goalkeeper. 

“I think the most important game for me was the first game which was against Brazil, even though we lost 5-0 I still have so many memories and that game taught me so much. It’s probably the reason I am where I am today because I had to persevere, ” said Williams. 

Williams was thrust to make his debut under coach Gordon Igesund after Mzansi’s number then Itumeleng Khune missed the Bafana Bafana camp after he was ruled out due to an injury.

“I was called many names, and it made me strong at such a young age. I think I was 22 years old and there were so many doubts for many years and that game turned me into a man at such a young age and that’s probably the most important game that I’ve played for Bafana,” he added.  

Meanwhile, with the arrival of Broos changing Bafana’s fortunes and making them a force to be reckoned with in the continent, the Downs goal-minder insists everyone in camp is confident of securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification after booking their 2025 AFCON ticket. 

“Definitely [we are confident], even the last World Cup qualifiers campaign, we were a few minutes away from qualifying, we all know what happened when we played Ghana, and we had such a perfect qualifying campaign, ” Williams asserted. 

“I think we went unbeaten until the last game, we scored, and we didn’t concede many, and I think that’s where the turnaround started for Bafana Bafana. We started very well in this campaign, and obviously, we have done well in the AFCON qualifiers now. 

“So, we are on the right trajectory, and we need to keep it like that, continue to next year March and we’ll be confident. I mean why shouldn’t we be confident? We’ve been getting the results, we’ve got experience, and we’ve got the players now with minutes under their belts and that’s important.” 

The Bafana captain helped South Africa to a third-place finish with his magnificent performances in the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast which saw him earn a nomination in the Ballon d’Or Yachine Trophy where he finished in ninth place. On Monday, CAF announced Williams is nominated for CAF Player of the Year, CAF Inter Club Player of the Year, and Goalkeeper of the Year.