We Almost Shed Tears” — South Africa Goalkeeper Laments Lack Of African Support at World Cup

South Africa national team captain, Ronwen Williams, has expressed disappointment over what he described as limited support from fellow Africans following Bafana Bafana’s 2-0 defeat to co-hosts Mexico in their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match on Thursday night.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The result leaves South Africa with a challenging path ahead in Group A as they continue their bid to qualify for the knockout stages.

Speaking after the match, Williams said he was surprised that many African football fans appeared to back Mexico rather than South Africa, the continent’s representative in the fixture.

He noted that African nations have traditionally shown solidarity by supporting one another at the World Cup, but suggested that South Africa’s situation appeared to be different.

“Africans have always supported other African countries in every World Cup tournament, but I can’t understand why our own case is different,” Williams said.

“Many Africans supported Mexico, not us, the South Africans. It was heartbreaking. We almost shed tears.

“As Africans, let’s stand by each other. Let’s stand together.”

His comments have since triggered mixed reactions across social media.

While some fans agreed with his sentiment and called for stronger continental unity during major tournaments, others disagreed with his view.

Some users from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe pointed to past reports of xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa as a reason for the divided support.

They argued that such incidents have affected feelings of solidarity among African fans.

However, others maintained that sporting support at international tournaments should not be influenced by political or social tensions between countries.