Bafana Bafana Captain Laments Lack of African Support After Defeat to Mexico: 'We Almost Shed Tears'

South Africa's captain, Ronwen Williams, has voiced his disappointment over what he perceived as a lack of support from other African nations during Bafana Bafana's 2-0 loss to Mexico in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener on Thursday.

The defeat puts South Africa in a challenging position in Group A as they aim to advance to the knockout stages.

Julián Quiñones opened the tournament scoring early on by capitalising on a defensive error in the 9th minute, before Raúl Jiménez doubled El Tri's lead with a header in the 67th minute.

The second half started with a straight red card for South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole in the 49th minute. A fiery conclusion saw Bafana Bafana reduced to nine men when Themba Zwane was sent off in the 83rd minute, followed by a straight red card for Mexican defender César Montes during stoppage time in the 91st minute.

Following the match, Williams expressed his surprise at the number of African fans who seemed to be cheering for Mexico instead of their continental counterparts. He called for greater unity among African nations during major international tournaments.

"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 stated as quoted by Punch Newspaper. "Many Africans supported Mexico, not us, the South Africans. We almost shed tears, but it’s truly sad."

He added, "As Africans, let’s stand for each other, let’s stand together."

While some fans echoed the goalkeeper's call for continental solidarity, others presented a different perspective. On social media, users from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe pointed to ongoing issues of xenophobia in South Africa as a reason for the diminished support.

Several commentators referenced past incidents involving foreign nationals in the country, suggesting these events have strained relationships and eroded the sense of unity. Some openly admitted to supporting Mexico, citing these tensions as a key factor in their decision.