Nico
Williams
Spain
·
Football
Date of birth | 12 July 2002 |
|---|---|
Place of birth | Pamplona, Navarre |
Age | 23 |
Nationality | Spain |
Career start | 2019 |
Disciplines | Soccer (standard) |
Fast, powerful and capable of changing the tide of any game he plays in, Nico Willliams is without doubt one of the most exciting attacking players in world football right now.
The winger's famed dribbling skills light up every game and have helped Nico to become both a winner of Spain's iconic Copa del Rey tournament with his club Athletic Bilbao and Euro 2024 champion with the Spanish national side. For both club and country the native of Pamplona has become an indispensable cog in launching an exciting new era of success, winning player of the match accolades and admiration from football fans around the world.
Alongside older brother Iñaki (himself a fellow player for Athletic Bilbao), Nico came up through the youth ranks at Athletic Bilbao after signing-on with the Basque team in 2013. By 2021 Nico was promoted to the 'The Lions' first team, making his debut on April 28 in a game where both Williams brothers played a role, marking the first time two siblings had played for Bilbao since 1986.
From there, it didn't take Nico long to establish himself as a regular starter in the Athletic Bilbao line-up and one of the most exciting young talents in La Liga. He netted his first goal for the team in a 2–0 win over Atlético Mancha Real in the Copa del Rey on January 6, 2022, and then won the love of the Bilbao faithful just a week later as he scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Atlético Madrid in the semi-final of the 2022 Supercopa de España.
The return of manager Ernesto Valverde for a third spell in charge of Athletic Bilbao ahead of the 2023–24 season saw Nico's young career go into overdrive. Playing from the left in a front three (brother Iñaki played on the right of the trio), Nico starred with a Player of the Match performance as Bilbao beat Mallorca on penalties to win the Copa Del Rey to secure their first trophy in 40 years and went on to finish fifth in La Liga – their highest position for eight years. A thoroughly deserved Balon d'Or nomination followed, but Nico's best moment was still to come in 2024.
After making his senior debut for the Spanish national side in 2022 and chalking up four appearances with the team during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Nico became a key player for new manager Luis de la Fuente in the lead up Euro 2024 in Germany. There, the previously unfancied Spanish romped through the tournament and Nico scored the opening goal and took home Player of the Match as they beat England 2–1 in the final to win the trophy for a record fourth time and the first time since 2012.
Now, with major competitions coming thick and fast, and a number of the world's biggest club teams desperate to sign him, making more footballing history is very likely, very soon for Nico Williams.