Williams Nominated for CAF Award with Adingra, Lookman, Guirassy, and Hakimi

Ronwen Williams, goalkeeper for Mamelodi Sundowns, has secured a place among the top five nominees for the CAF Player of the Year award.

He will compete against Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast), Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Ademola Lookman (Nigeria), and Serhou Guirassy (Guinea) for this prestigious accolade.

Williams is distinguished as the only nominee based in Africa, highlighting his exceptional contributions to both Sundowns and Bafana Bafana. The CAF encountered difficulties in narrowing down the nominees to three because of intense competition and tied votes.

The winner will be announced on December 16 in Morocco, where all nominees are anticipated to be present.

For the women’s category, the shortlisted candidates include Sanaa Mssoudy (Morocco), Chiamaka Nnandoze (Nigeria), and Barbara Banda (Zambia).

Besides this nomination, Williams is also contending for the CAF Inter-Club Player of the Year award for Africa, as well as the CAF Goalkeeper of the Year title.

After an incredible 2024, CAF is honoring the achievements of players and coaches, with Williams leaving a significant impression both domestically and nationally through his outstanding performances for Sundowns and Bafana Bafana. They have also announced other award categories.

He played a pivotal role in leading Sundowns to victories in both the African Football League and the Betway Premiership, achieving a record number of points under the direction of coach Rulani Mokwena last season. Additionally, he was crowned PSL Footballer of the Year, becoming only the third goalkeeper in PSL history to attain this honor.

At the age of 32, he was instrumental in Bafana Bafana’s achievement of a bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations held earlier in Ivory Coast, marking their first third place finish in 24 years. He received the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award and was included in the Team of the Tournament.