South Africa captain Ronwen Williams and midfielder Teboho Mokoena reflected after Bafana Bafana’s Round of 32 exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a 1-0 defeat to Canada in Los Angeles, www.aclsports.com reports.
Stephen Eustáquio struck in the 90+2’ minute to end South Africa’s historic run, as they exited after reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
Ronwen Williams said the defeat was difficult to accept given how it unfolded, but believes the team can build on their progress.
“It’s still a painful one for us. We feel we could have done better, especially the way the game ended,” Williams said.
“We created history, but the way we lost makes it very difficult to take.”
Williams stressed that the experience should serve as a foundation rather than a setback.
“We need to stay together as a group and as a country and build from here. It can’t take years again for us to get back to a World Cup. There has to be continuity, and I believe that will happen.”
He also praised the impact of younger players in the squad, highlighting their importance for the future.
“The young players were excellent throughout the tournament. For them to get this kind of experience at this level is huge for their development and for the national team going forward.”
Reflecting on the key difference in the match, Williams pointed to missed chances as the deciding factor in South Africa’s exit.
“At this level, you have to take your chances. We didn’t score enough goals for the opportunities we created, and that’s what cost us. It wasn’t a situation where we were completely exposed. It was just a moment where they took their chance. Sometimes football is like that, it can go either way.”
Teboho Mokoena described a quiet dressing room after the final whistle, admitting the players were left devastated by the late defeat.
“It’s very quiet in the dressing room. Everyone is disappointed,” Mokoena said.
“We feel we could have done much better, especially the way we lost the game. We know we can be proud of what we achieved and the history we made, but the way it ended makes it very painful.”
The midfielder reflected on the winning goal, describing how close South Africa came to preventing it.
“I was right behind the player who scored. If I had taken a few more steps, maybe I could have stopped it. That’s what makes it frustrating.”
Looking at the wider picture, he said the tournament showed the progress of the continent.
“African football is growing, and we can be proud of that. Hopefully more African teams will go further in future tournaments.”
