Ronwen Williams Was Always Destined To Lead Bafana Bafana, Says Former Coach Heredia

Alejandro ‘Alex’ Heredia has hailed Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams as a “born leader” ahead of South Africa’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against hosts Mexico on Thursday, 11 June at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Williams (34), capped 63 times, enters the tournament fresh from lifting the CAF Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns. He will make history as the first goalkeeper to captain South Africa at a World Cup.

Heredia, who coached Williams during his formative years, says his rise was inevitable. 

“Ronwen has been a leader wherever he has played, at the youth level, SuperSport United, and Sundowns. I was not surprised when Hugo Broos made him captain. His talent has never been in doubt," Heredia told SportsBoom.co.za. 

Heredia recalls introducing Williams to the national setup as a teenager. 

“We sometimes called him up as a fourth goalkeeper to train with Itumeleng Khune, Moeneeb Josephs, Calvin Marlin and others. Even then, you could see he was a big talent. We wanted him to get used to a high level of training and also get a feel for how things work at an international level. Training with top keepers gave him invaluable experience.”

The Argentina-born coach, himself a former Orlando Pirates and Sundowns goalkeeper, famously backed Williams for his senior debut against Brazil in 2014, a night Neymar scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 rout. 

“Coach Gordon Igesund asked me to choose between Senzo Meyiwa and Ronwen. I said Ronwen. He was playing regularly at SuperSport, while Senzo wasn’t getting minutes at Pirates. We conceded five, but that was the team, not Ronwen. He made five or six superb saves. It was not a true reflection of how he performed on the night, but we were impressed. The ‘Monday Coaches’ criticised us, but Gordon, Serame Letsoaka and I stood firm. That game showed his resilience.”

A Complete Goalkeeper 

Heredia describes Williams as “the full package.” 

“I have been in this country for 43 years, and have followed goalkeepers in Africa and abroad all my life. He is a top shot-stopper, excellent with his feet, brave, and always aware of his surroundings. His game management from the back is superb. He has a big personality and has bounced back from setbacks. It was inevitable he would become South Africa’s number one.”

Heredia admits Williams’ height may have limited opportunities abroad. 

“Look at Martínez (196cm), Alisson (191cm), Courtois (200cm), Donnarumma (196cm). Ronwen is shorter, and that disadvantaged him internationally. But despite that, he has proven his quality and is now one of Africa’s best goalkeepers. He is in a leadership group at Mamelodi Sundowns, a team that has done wonders in Africa, and today they are the number one team and champions in Africa.”

Pride and Concerns 

Heredia says he is proud to see Williams lead Bafana Bafana in Mexico. 

“We have a good team and technical staff in Hugo Broos, Helman Mkhalele, and Grant Johnson. My only concern is preparation. Why didn’t we play stronger opponents like Japan, Bolivia, and Chile? We needed tougher tests. There were also reports about VISA, and all the stuff that was reported in the media. This is not good for our preparations. Still, I believe Bafana will give a good account of themselves.”

South Africa’s Goalkeeping Future 

Heredia warns that South Africa is running out of top goalkeepers. 

“We once had a Golden Generation, the likes of Calvin Marlin, Moeneeb Josephs, Emile Baron, Itumeleng Khune, Senzo Meyiwa, all competing for the No. 1 jersey. Today, Williams, Chaine, and Goss are 28–31, and Brandon Petersen (31), unlucky not to make the squad, is also over 30. Where are the 21- or 22-year-old goalkeepers in the PSL?”

He has proposed reforms to SAFA: “First, goalkeeper education; modern programmes and more specialised courses for goalkeeper coaches. Second, stop recruiting foreign goalkeepers for five to ten years. Clubs would then be forced to develop and play young South African keepers, benefiting the national team. I was criticised for this, but the reality is we need to produce our own talent. Where are the 21-year-old, 23-year-old goalkeepers in the Premier Soccer League?”

Heredia concludes with a stark warning: “South Africa will struggle to produce another Ronwen Williams or Itumeleng Khune if young goalkeepers don’t get opportunities. That is the challenge we face.”