Williams: The AFCON Experience Was Painful
DURBAN – Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams has issued a rallying cry to his teammates, describing their recent Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) performance as a “painful lesson” that requires an immediate return to the high standards that previously defined the squad.
South Africa entered the 2025 tournament in Morocco with high expectations following their 2024 bronze medal finish.
However, a shaky group stage—featuring a narrow 2-1 win over Angola, a 3-2 win over Zimbabwe sandwiched a loss to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt—saw them scrape through to the knockouts.
Their journey ended abruptly in the Round of 16 with a 2-1 defeat to Cameroon, their first-ever AFCON loss to the Indomitable Lions.
Reclaiming the “Bafana Values”
Speaking ahead of Friday’s FIFA-sanctioned friendly against Panama at Moses Mabhida Stadium, Williams was transparent about the squad’s recent dip in form.
“The talk we’re having is about bringing the team back to the values that made us successful over the last few years,” Williams stated.
“We let that go. As players, we’ve addressed it, the coach has addressed it, and now it is time to show we have learned those lessons. It was a very painful experience because expectations were so high.”
The skipper admitted the exit took a mental toll on the dressing room. “The disappointment that we had, in Morocco, as I said, you could see it in the players; it took a very long time for players to feel normal again.
“Because we had high expectations, not only ourselves, but the country as well. But it is now the time to show and go back and just get the trust back from the coach.”
The Final Countdown to World Cup 2026
This international break serves as the final preparation window before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Bafana Bafana face a historic opening fixture on 11 June against co-hosts Morocco in Mexico City—a symbolic echo of the 2010 World Cup opener at FNB Stadium.
Coach Hugo Broos has previously warned that the team can no longer fly under the radar, as their recent success has made them a “marked” opponent in African football.
“Obviously, we have let him down, because we have built a very good thing and are too fast to let it go at such crucial moments. It just shows you that this game can humble you,” added Williams.
“I think that is a major thing that we took out of this – stick to the values that carried us throughout these last few years, put us up there amongst the best, and this game will humble and it is painful.”
