Jessica Williams secures Copenhagen move after impressing on Denmark trial

Jessica Williams has joined Copenhagen after impressing the Danish club during a two-week trial, with the South African goalkeeper describing the move as an exciting new challenge and an honour because of the path previously taken by Roxanne Barker.

Williams, 26, was unveiled by the club earlier this afternoon after earning a contract during her time in Denmark. She said it was particularly significant to follow Barker, the first South African female goalkeeper to play professionally abroad.

Speaking at an exclusive online press conference hosted by the South African Football Journalists Association, Williams reflected on her own ambitions and the importance of Barker’s achievement.

“I started playing goalkeeper from the age of seventeen and I always wanted to be the first female keeper to play abroad, but I didn’t know at the time that Roxanne Barker went overseas.

“It’s possible for other South African goalkeepers to also get scouted, luckily enough for me I managed to score a goal which gave me additional credit.”

The former University of Cape Town goalkeeper also explained what she believes caught the attention of Copenhagen’s technical team during the trial. Williams said she concentrated on carrying out the basics well, maintaining her determination and demonstrating a strong desire to succeed.

Those qualities helped her secure the opportunity to continue her career in Denmark, where she now hopes her move will encourage more South African players to seek professional opportunities outside the country.

Williams believes, however, that players at home need greater exposure if they are to attract interest from clubs abroad. She identified improved access to local matches and better collection of performance data as important steps towards helping South African footballers gain international recognition.

“They want data, and they want to be able to see how many saves she made or how many goals she scored. With there being no real coverage in the country it makes it hard. Luckily, what I did was captured so it’s not impossible. With more and more coverage many more players will be able to come abroad.”

Williams’ own performance was recorded during the trial, including the goal she scored, which she said gave her additional credit as Copenhagen assessed her potential.

Her move means she becomes another South African goalkeeper to secure a professional opportunity overseas, while also carrying the significance of following Barker’s example. Williams has stressed that her achievement should demonstrate that similar opportunities can become available to other players from the country.

The goalkeeper’s comments underline the value she places on visibility in the women’s game. Without regular coverage of matches and accessible information about individual performances, she believes it is more difficult for overseas clubs to identify talent.

For Williams, the Copenhagen move represents both the outcome of a successful two-week trial and a chance to help open the door for more South African players to pursue careers abroad.