How the real Bafana stirred at World Cup: ‘I don’t want to experience pain like that again’

In Pachuca, Mexico

Ronwen Williams’ face changes, from bright and bubbly to morose and miserable, just at the thought of what the Bafana Bafana camp was like over the two days that followed their 2-0 loss to Mexico, in the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“I don’t want to experience silence like that, pain like that ever again,” says Williams, whose goalkeeping brilliance kept the score respectable.

“You could see it in everyone’s faces, the disappointment. Because we have worked so hard to get here. We have sacrificed so much.

“The most disappointing thing for us was losing the game, but what hurt us more was the negative press and negative comments that followed, with your own people being so negative (about the team).

“For two days after that, it was bad. The boys were down.”

Bafana coach Hugo Broos embraced that silence, allowing the players to lick their wounds and then re-adjust before taking on Czechia at Atlanta Stadium on Thursday.

“He just left us for two days,” Williams continued. “He let us be. He didn’t talk and he didn’t say anything.

“And then on Sunday night, we did our analysis of the game against Mexico. He showed us our mistakes and what we could have done better. Then he said, from Monday, it’s time to turn the page. From Monday, you could see the focus, mentality and spirit slowly coming back as we prepared to take on Czechia.”

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A more resolute Bafana side was on display in the 1-1 draw against the Europeans. Bafana still showed some frailties, conceding after six minutes and falling into the Czech traps they knew their opponents would deploy.

But Williams and company didn’t give up or drop their heads.