Mamelodi Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams will make his 550th career start on Saturday when he comes up against one of the toughest attacking line-ups he has faced in his lengthy career as his side host Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia.
Sundowns have home advantage in the Intercontinental Cup playoff match between the reigning African and Asian champions, but the 34-year-old will be tested by the likes of England striker Ivan Toney, who scored 32 goals in the Saudi league last season and in this campaign has 10 goals in the first seven matches.
Toney, who helped Brentford win promotion to the Premier League, was also in the England squad at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States in June and July.
Al Ahli also have former Brazil international Galeno and the Portuguese Trincao, another who was at the World Cup, in their attacking line-up for the weekend clash at Loftus Versfeld (live on SuperSport 3pm).
Williams has already played 10 matches for Sundowns this season, eight in the league and two in the MNT8, having kicked off the season on 539 league and cup starts since his debut for SuperSport United in January 2011.
Williams’ career appearances are only bettered by Edries Burton, who made 592 starts for Santos, Cape Town Spurs, and AmaZulu in a career that ended at the age of 38.
Williams, originally from Gqeberha, played his first senior game at SuperSport United days after his 19th birthday in the 2011 Champions League preliminary round against Matlama of Lesotho, keeping a clean sheet on debut.
He has gone on to win over a half-century of caps, the African Champions League, three league titles, three Nedbank Cups, one Telkom Knockout, and two MTN8 winners’ medals.
Two seasons ago, Williams passed the 489-match mark for the most games for a goalkeeper, previously set by Moeneeb Josephs, and is the fourth player to go past 500 starts, joining Burton, Neil Tovey (519), and Vuyo Mere (504).
This is Williams’ 17th season of professional football.