South Africa goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams has called for greater unity among African nations after facing online criticism following Bafana Bafana’s opening defeat at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking ahead of South Africa’s Group A clash against the Czech Republic, Williams dismissed reports claiming he criticised Africans for supporting Mexico during the team’s first match of the tournament. He said the comments attributed to him were fabricated and had sparked unnecessary backlash.
The goalkeeper revealed that both he and his country had been targeted online over issues unrelated to football, including ongoing tensions surrounding xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“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 told reporters.
The South African captain stressed that African countries should stand together on the global stage despite political and social challenges at home.
“I’ve always said that, as Africa, we are one. We support each other in good and bad moments,” he said.
Williams acknowledged that every nation on the continent faces its own difficulties but argued that such issues should not divide Africans during major international competitions.
“We’ve all got our own politics, our own problems, our own fights that we deal with back home. Every country does,” he added. “We must leave politics to politicians.”
The 34-year-old admitted that the online attacks had been painful, noting that footballers are also affected by public criticism.
“It does hurt because players are human beings as well,” Williams said.
South Africa will face the Czech Republic on Thursday in a crucial Group A encounter. Both teams are seeking their first points of the tournament after losing their opening matches.
The remarks come amid growing debate on social media over support for African teams at international competitions and the impact of political tensions on continental solidarity.
