| Date of Birth | 12 July 2002 |
|---|---|
| Place of Birth | Pamplona, Spain |
| Nationality | Spain |
| Height | 181 cm |
| Weight | 67 kg |
BIOGRAPHY
Nico Williams was born on 12 July 2002 in Pamplona and joined the Athletic Bilbao academy in 2013 after moving from Osasuna. He took his first steps in senior football with the farm club Basconia (2019–20), and in May 2020 he was promoted to the reserve team. He made his La Liga debut on 28 April 2021 in a match against Real Valladolid — that evening he and his older brother Iñaki were on the pitch at the same time, marking the first such occurrence for the club since 1986.
In January 2022, Nico scored his first goals for the first team in the Copa del Rey and soon netted the winning goal in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atlético. During the 2022–23 season, he secured a place in the starting lineup, regularly creating chances from the left flank and scoring decisive goals in La Liga.
In the 2023–24 campaign, he became a key attacking figure under Ernesto Valverde. In April 2024, in the Copa del Rey final against Mallorca, he provided an assist and was named Man of the Match; Athletic won their first major trophy in 40 years. That same year, he finished 15th in the Ballon d’Or voting.
In the summer of 2025, following extensive transfer rumors, he extended his contract with Athletic until 2035; reports stated that his release clause increased to approximately €90 million. In the 2024–25 season, he helped the club qualify for the UEFA Champions League, and in the Europa League he scored five goals and was included in the Team of the Tournament.
He made his debut for the Spain national team in 2022. At Euro 2024, he emerged as one of the team’s leaders: he scored in the Round of 16 and opened the scoring in the final against England, where he was named Man of the Match. Spain won the tournament, claiming their fourth title.
PERSONAL LIFE
Nico Williams is the son of Ghanaian refugees. His parents crossed the Sahara to reach Melilla and later settled in the Basque Country. Nico’s older brother is Iñaki Williams, also a professional footballer; the brothers both play for Athletic at club level but represent different national teams internationally: Nico plays for Spain, while Iñaki represents Ghana.
At both club and international level, Nico often wears the name Williams Jr on his shirt. He maintains a close friendship with Lamine Yamal, which fueled rumors of a potential move to Barcelona in the summer of 2025.
Williams prefers not to disclose details of his private life and rarely comments on matters outside football.
INTERESTING FACTS
- When moving to Spain, his parents reportedly listed their country of origin as Liberia on a lawyer’s advice, as the country was in the midst of civil war at the time.
- In 2024, he was named Man of the Match in the Euro final after scoring in the decisive game against England.
- In the Euro 2024 Round of 16 match against Georgia, he not only scored but also provided an assist with 100% pass accuracy — a unique statistic for the tournament.
- In 2023, due to a wave of abuse on social media, he temporarily deactivated his accounts but soon returned.
- In 2025, fans in Barakaldo vandalized a mural depicting him amid transfer rumors; after extending his contract, the player referenced the incident in an official video with the slogan “WIN 2035”.
- At Euro 2024, Spain set a record for the most European Championship titles (four) with his participation.
