Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams will learn if he has made history during the 2024 CAF Awards gala set to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday evening.
Williams is nominated for three awards but it is in the Player of the Year category where South Africans are hoping he can triumph.
The Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper is up against Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman of Italian club Atalanta, Ivorian winger Simon Adingra of Brighton and Hove Albion, Guinea and Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy as well as Paris Saint-German’s Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi.
One of the five will be crowned African Player of the Year, succeeding Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who claimed it in 2023, and there is hope in Mzansi that ‘Ronza’ will be the man on the winner’s podium.
If that happens, then Williams will become the first South African to be named African Footballer of the Year, writing another chapter of history in his storied career.
Williams’ other nominations
It does not end there for Williams who is hot favourite to win another individual award on Monday. The 32-year-old is also nominated in the Goalkeeper of the Year and Inter-Club Player of the Year categories.
Williams has had a good year that saw him nominated for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world at the prestigious Ballon d’Or awards, where he finished ninth.
He was also recently nominated for FIFA The Best Awards although he did not make the final shortlist.
Other awards for South Africa
Meanwhile, the awards also have Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos nominated in the Coach of the Year category while his team is in for the National Team of the Year award, having finished third at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Mamelodi Sundowns are also nominated for the Inter-Club of the Year Award after winning the PSL and the African Football League.
Time and where to watch?
The CAF Awards gala will take place at the Palais des Congres in Marrakech, Morocco from 20.00 (South African time) and will be broadcast live on the CAF YouTube channel (CAFTV) as well as SuperSport TV and SABC.
Who else is attending?
Former Banyana Banyana striker Portia Modise and legendary South African middle distance runner Caster Semenya, the double 800m champion, are among the invited guests.
What else is there to know?
The CAF Awards will be presented by Kate Scott and Jalal Bouzrara, with entertainment from Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz and Morocco’s Dystinct, among several top African artists.
