South Africa players alongside Mamelodi Sundowns left the 2025 CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco, empty handed on Wednesday.
Players from the country were nominated in three categories and Mamelodi Sundowns were nominated for the Men’s CAF Club of the Year award.
Ronwen Williams, Tylon Smith, Andile Dlamini were all nominated for individual awards after making the three-man shortlists but were not awarded any accolades.
Williams and Dlamini were nominated for the CAF Goalkeepers of the year in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.
Dlamini was beaten to the award by Chiamaka Nnadozie of Nigeria, who was part of the Super Falcons successful Mission X, claiming the nation’s 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.
The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper was South Africa’s first choice in goal and helped her country claim the bronze medal at the continental showpiece.
Williams lost out in the men’s category to Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, who conceded only two goals in the Atlas Lions’ FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Williams enjoyed a stellar season for both club and national team. He captained South Africa to World Cup qualification for the first time since the nation hosted the tournament in 2010. For his club, he helped Sundowns reach the CAF Champions League final and claimed an eighth successive league title.
Smith was up for the Young Player of the Year award, which was given to Morocco’s Othmane Maamma, who boasted an impressive performance at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which saw Morocco crowned world champions.
Smith was part of the Amajita squad that won the country’s first ever U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. He was named Player of the Tournament, earning a move to Queens Park Rangers in the EFL Championship.
Sundowns lost out to Pyramids FC in the CAF Club of the Year award, rubbing salt in the wound as Pyramids defeated the South African side in the Champions League final.
