South Africa captain Ronwen Williams has acknowledged the disappointment within the camp after their opening World Cup defeat to Mexico last Thursday, while also addressing the wave of criticism directed at the team by former internationals and sections of the public.
South Africa head into their second group match against Czechia in Atlanta on Thursday under scrutiny, with debate around their approach in the opening game dominating the build-up.
Supporters and media have questioned the team’s tactical setup and overall performance in the 2-0 loss to the tournament hosts.
Former internationals, Teko Modise and Kermit Erasmus have also weighed in, adding to the criticism and calling for higher standards from a squad many believe has enough quality to compete more aggressively under head coach Hugo Broos.
“It’s difficult, you know [criticism] hurts when it comes from former professionals who know how difficult it is,” Williams told ESPN on Wednesday.
“You can question our performance, but not our attitude and the spirit we had after going behind and playing half the game a man down.
“It wasn’t easy, and we were playing the host nation, but we had the attitude to keep fighting, didn’t give Mexico much, showed the character we have, and didn’t give up or feel sorry for ourselves.
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“We took a beating, but we keep fighting. We weren’t at our best, but we can’t always be at our best, and we had the right mentality. The boys can be proud, and we can be disappointed, but in today’s world, everyone is an expert.”
South Africa will also be forced into changes ahead of the Czechia clash, with Sinethemba Sithole suspended after his sending-off against Mexico.
Veteran midfielder, Themba Zwane, is also unavailable after receiving a three-match ban following his own red card late in the match.
Williams expressed belief that the response on the pitch is now the most important factor, stressing that the team remains focused on rebuilding confidence and reconnecting with supporters.
“Support from the country has been magnificent, and we’ve rebuilt that relationship that was once broken,” he concluded. “For them to criticise us is fine, but don’t be disrespectful. Not everything is as it seems.
“When we lose, not everything is broken; sport always gives you another opportunity to be better, maybe [the Mexico defeat] was something that just had to happen for us to realise how to be even better.
“As a group we had a meeting about social media, about blocking out the noise, and we’re just trying to be strong mentally.”
Attention now turns to Czechia, who also come into the fixture under pressure after an opening defeat to South Korea. With qualification rules still offering room for recovery, both sides know the stakes remain high.
Williams later reinforced his message on unity, reacting to recent controversy surrounding comments attributed to him.
The goalkeeper said he had been misrepresented in public debate, particularly over claims that he spoke about African support for Mexico.
“I’ve been a target over the last few days for things I haven’t said. I didn’t say anything about Africa and people supporting Mexico. I’ve always said, as Africa, we’re one, we support each other in good or bad moments. We’ve got our own problems that we deal with back home, every country…”
He added that football should remain a unifying space rather than a platform for division.
“We’re in Atlanta now, and I see so many Africans, Mexicans in one room; that’s the beauty of football. So let’s just enjoy, let’s have a wonderful time and we leave politics to the politicians; let’s play football and criticise what happens on the field.”
