Egypt v South Africa Ronwen Williams - July 2019Backpagepix

How the mentality of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho motivates Ronwen Williams

SuperSport United vice-captain Ronwen Williams is confident he can remain South Africa's first-choice goalkeeper. 

This is despite the 27-year-old shot-stopper having received criticism about his performances at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt.

Williams insists he does not pay attention to the negative talk as he prepares for Bafana Bafana's clash with Mali in the 2019 Nelson Mandela Challenge on Sunday.

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“There were negative talks, but I don’t look at things like that. I focus on my game and the things I can do better. I feel like I am mentally strong,” Williams told the media.

“I read a lot of stories about top players like Cristiano Ronaldo and they say it is his mentality that makes him what he is today so I try to work on my mentality.

"Nothing can bring me down and I am just happy that I played and it obviously was not nice to exit the tournament like that but we learn from that,” he added.

Williams, who played four of Bafana's five matches at the Afcon finals, also revealed he took former Real Madrid and Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho’s advice on how to deal with criticism.

“I read a quote from Mourinho when they (Madrid) got smashed 5-0 by Barcelona; he told his players to walk out and go to the malls and hear what the people are going to say," he said.

"When I came back that is what I did. I did not hide. I heard all the things that people said and, to be honest, there were a lot of positives and that is what boosted me.

"I know that I can do, I have proven it now and if given the opportunity again I need to stake my claim."

Williams, Darren Keet and Ricardo Goss are the three goalkeepers who are currently in Bafana coach Molefi Ntseki's camp ahead of the clash with the Eagles at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

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