South Africa and Mamelodi Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams has two hopes for the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA: Progress past the group stage, and performances that catch the eyes of the world's biggest leagues.
Williams has gained international recognition without ever leaving South Africa's Betway Premiership. After starring in goal at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in January - February 2024 in Côte d'Ivoire, he finished ninth in the voting for last year's Yashin Trophy.
However, Williams has not given up on playing abroad. Currently 33, he believes he has bloomed late due to improved professionalism and can remain on top of his game until 40.
Williams told ESPN: "I've had a chat with my manager, Rob Moore, and I've asked him the question: 'What do you think?' He was like: 'Ronwen; you should never close the door.
"'Yes; you want to achieve great things at Sundowns and they're giving you a wonderful platform to play at the highest level - play against the best of the best - but with what you've done over the last few years, I think it is possible [to play overseas].'
"I'm 33 now and people say: 'You're old,' but this is the best I've felt in a long time. Despite the injuries here and there, this is the best I've felt as a goalkeeper. I don't get nervous; I'm so calm. I'm just in a good space on the field. I don't have any nerves; I don't have anything. I'm just present, and I think that's all down to the experiences that I've picked up.
"Even when we play against the bigger opponents - the bigger teams - there's no sense of anxiety; there's no sense of nerves. I just go out there and do my best. I've played against the best of the best and I think I've got the ability to play there, but it's going to be difficult.
"People will obviously look at [my] age. They'll look at Sundowns and if they're willing to let me go, but if everyone is happy, why not give it a shot? Like I said, I've looked after myself and my body and I think my body could carry me another seven years easily."
The Club World Cup this month - where Sundowns are in Group F with Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense and Ulsan - offers an opportunity to turn heads, and he believes five of his teammates in particular deserve attention.
"I don't want to sell Mamelodi Sundowns short, but hopefully, some of the guys can go to the bigger leagues," Williams said.
"Sailor (Khuliso) Mudau, Teboho Mokoena - they've been so consistent. Then, you obviously have Lucas Ribeiro [Costa] and Marcelo Allende. I think they can walk into any side in the top three leagues in the world.
"Sailor Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Ribeiro and maybe Marcelo Allende as well. He has that background because he was [briefly] at the Arsenal Academy and obviously, Ribeiro played that side in the Belgian [Jupiler Pro] League.
"I think people will have their eyes on them because they've done well in the [CAF] Champions League and the Champions League is big. People obviously watch it. Bafana Bafana has done well and people obviously know Mokoena and Mudau.
"I think one person that is very under-rated is Aubrey Modiba. Aubrey Modiba is so skillful, silky and solid as a defender and he's so consistent as well. Those are probably the five players who I feel could walk into [a top league] and play without any problems."
Williams played in a youth tournament involving Tottenham and Manchester United in 2008, while at SuperSport United's academy - which had a partnership with Spurs. Teammate Bongani Khumalo joined the North London club in January 2011, but Williams was never picked up.
"When we went there and we saw the setup and saw some of the stars, you get starstruck and think [to yourself]: 'You're so close, yet so far,'" Williams said.
"It's in the back of your mind that you want to be there. Some of the guys went for trials there to train with the team and obviously, Bongani Khumalo made it, so it was in reach - but I first wanted to make a name for myself in the PSL and obviously, for the national team.
"Then, I think, the doors would have opened for me on that side, but obviously, everything happened a bit later for me - especially with the national team, where I became a regular from 2019 only. By that time, I was in my late 20s, so I knew that it was going to be very difficult to go overseas at that age."
Another opportunity presented itself after Williams broke into SuperSport's first team, as he trained with Hannover 96 in Germany in 2014. Reports at the time suggested it was not a formal trial - but by Williams' own admission, he was not ready to grab an opportunity with both hands then even if it was on the table.
"There were talks here and there. I went in 2014 to Hannover 96 for assessment, but I wasn't mentally prepared [or] physically prepared. Even with my performance, I don't think that I was ready at that time. I think I was still learning my stripes and my identity as a goalkeeper," Williams recalled.
"There were talks; there were some people that enquired about me, but then, it's very difficult when you have a team where one season, you're doing well [and] one season, you're struggling."
A turning point in Williams' career came in the 2016-17 season, when he began to suffer recurring injuries. Stuart Baxter, who was his coach that season with SuperSport United and the following season with the South African national team, pulled no punches.
"I was one of the seniors in the [SuperSport United] team even when I was young, because of how long I was at the club, but my mentality was probably not at the best level. I wasn't a 24-hour professional," admitted Williams.
"Because I had the talent; maybe, I wouldn't go the extra mile, go extra to get stronger, get better at my abilities... Later on in my career, when I started picking up injuries, that's when I started my mindset to be more of a 24-hour pro.
"I had a back injury and I was out for a very long time; I think I was out for like four months. Obviously, my team needed me, but I came back and then I re-injured myself - the same injury. That was when our coach at that time - Stuart Baxter - had a go at me. He said: 'Look; you've put on weight. You're not training properly. It could be the weight that is putting pressure on your back.'
"When I jumped on a scale, I saw that I did pick up. Since then, having my weight at the required level has been a consistent feature in my day-to-day life. I take it so seriously. That's when I started becoming the ultra-professional, because I knew that I was coming to an age and a stage where I needed to look after myself; I needed to do more."
Baxter ultimately chose Williams as his starting goalkeeper at AFCON 2019 in Egypt as Bafana Bafana made the quarter-finals. From then on, he usurped Itumeleng Khune as his country's first choice. Three years later, he signed for its most successful club in the modern era - Mamelodi Sundowns - as a player who already had all the right routines to succeed in a more competitive environment.
"I was lucky enough that that happened to me at SuperSport, so now, I came into a setup where the mentality is so high and they want to win each and every competition that they're in and you can only do that if you're available for most of the season and you have to do extra," Williams said.
"You need to work hard; you need to take your recovery protocols seriously and you need to strengthen your body... When I joined the club; my mindset was already like that. That's why I think my first two years, I hardly missed a game. I've already played over 100 games for Mamelodi Sundowns."
There is little left to achieve at Sundowns that Williams and the club have yet to already tick off. However, one achievement that would be novel for the club would be excelling on the world stage. In their only previous Club World Cup appearance under the old format, they lost both of their games and finished sixth out of seven teams.
"Our first objective is to get out of the group. Once you're out of the group, then you've got everything to play for. Then, you've done history, because the club has never been out of the [first round of fixtures in which they have featured at a Club World Cup] before," Williams said.
"I think the most important [target] at this time would be [to] get out of the group. Once you're out of the group, [then] you can dream bigger, but get that out of the way and I think that would be a success. From there, hopefully, you take it step-by-step every day."
The top two in each of eight groups will advance to the last 16 in the first-ever 32-team World Cup.
Sundowns will begin their campaign in Orlando against South Korea's Ulsan on June 17 at 6pm EDT (midnight on June 18 in South Africa) before facing German Bundesliga giants Dortmund in Cincinnati four days later at 12pm EDT (6pm in South Africa).
They will conclude their group stage matches against Fluminense at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on June 25 at 3pm EDT (9pm South African time).
For Williams and co., the goal will be to ensure that the road does not end there.