‘Many Africans supported Mexico, we almost shed tears — South Africa captain, Ronwen Williams reacts to World Cup defeat

South Africa captain Ronwen Williams has admitted that Bafana Bafana were left heartbroken after their disappointing start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

South Africa suffered a 2-0 loss to Mexico in their opening Group A match, a result that was made even worse by the dismissal of two South African players, forcing the team to finish the contest with just nine men.

Speaking after the game, Williams expressed his disappointment over the result and the reaction from football fans across the African continent, many of whom openly backed Mexico during the encounter.

“Africans have always supported other African countries in every World Cup tournament, but I can’t figure out why our own case is different,” Williams said. “Many Africans supported Mexico, not us, the South Africans. We almost shed tears, but it’s truly sad. As Africans, let’s stand for each other; let’s stand together.”

South Africa has faced widespread criticism over a series of xenophobic attacks against migrants from several African countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, which forced many victims to abandon their homes and return to their countries of origin.