Ronwen Williams etched his name into World Cup history during South Africa’s Round of 32 defeat to Canada, recording the most accurate passes by a goalkeeper in a single match since records began in 1966.
The Mamelodi Sundowns captain completed 77 accurate passes against Canada, surpassing the previous record of 51 set by Germany’s Manuel Neuer against Japan at the 2022 World Cup.
Remarkably, Williams also holds third place on the all-time list, having completed 48 accurate passes earlier in the tournament against Czechia.
🇿🇦 | Passing maestro between the sticks
Goalkeepers with most accurate passes in a single World Cup match since 1966:
🥇 77 – Ronwen Williams v Canada (2026) 🆕
🥈 51 – Manuel Neuer v Japan (2022)
🥉 48 – Ronwen Williams v Czechia (2026)An unexpected focal point of South… pic.twitter.com/ZJlZJEbaUc
— Sofascore Football (@Sofascore) June 28, 2026
Williams finished the match with 77 of 85 attempted passes completed, a 91 percent success rate, alongside an expected assists figure of 0.15 as South Africa repeatedly looked to build attacks from the back.
He earned a match rating of 8.2, reflecting his influence well beyond his usual shot-stopping duties.
The numbers underline just how central Williams became to South Africa’s approach throughout the tournament, often serving as an auxiliary outfield player in possession.
Photo: Eric Verhoeven/Soccrates/Getty Images
