Ronwen Williams, the goalkeeper and captain of South Africa, says Africans have to support each other “in good and bad moments” and “leave politics to politicians”.
Williams spoke at the press conference ahead of South
Africa’s second game in Group A against the Czech Republic at the 2026 World
Cup.
He was reacting to online trolling and banter from other
African aimed at the Bafana Bafana after their loss to Mexico in the opening
match of the competition.
The lack of support for South Africa is a reflection of
growing anger at the xenophobic attacks against other black Africans in the
country.
Williams said he was a target of fabricated quotes
criticising other Africans for not supporting his country during the Mexico
match.
He added that the backlash from the false reports “does
hurt” because “players are human beings as well”.
The Bafana Bafana captain then added that every African
country has “politics” it is dealing with back home, but the continent must
learn to set aside those and unite on the global stage.
“I’ve been a target over the last few days about things that
I haven’t said. I didn’t speak anything
about Africa and people supporting Mexico,” Williams said.
“I can remember, I’ve always said that, you know, as Africa,
we are one, we support each other, you know, in good and bad moments, we’ve all
got our own politics, we’ve got our own problems, our own fights that we deal
with, you know, back home, you know, every country does, you know.”
“So, I mean, I don’t know where it stemmed from, and it does
hurt, you know, because like I’ve mentioned, I’ve been attacked, obviously my
country as well, for things that are going on back home and, you know, I’ve
always said, you know, players are human beings as well.”
Bafana Bafana will face the Czech Republic on Thursday at 5
pm Nigerian time. Both teams are without a point in the competition after
losing their opening matches.
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