Stories and facts

Nicholas "Nico" Williams Arthuer, born on July 12, 2002, is a Spanish-Ghanaian professional footballer known for his position as a winger for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Spain national team.

Williams began his journey with Athletic Bilbao's youth academy in 2013 and climbed the ranks to the reserve team in 2020, finally making it to the first team a year later, where he joined his elder brother, Iñaki Williams.

Renowned for his speed and dribbling skills, Williams made his debut for Spain's senior side in 2022. He was a vital member of the Spain squads for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, notably scoring and earning the Man of the Match title in the final of the latter, which Spain won.

Williams was born in Pamplona, Navarre, and joined Athletic Bilbao's youth setup from hometown club CA Osasuna in 2013. He began his senior career with the farm team, Basconia, in the 2019–20 season.

Promoted to the reserve team in May 2020, Williams made his first-team debut on April 28, 2021, in a La Liga match against Real Valladolid, a historic moment as he played alongside his brother Iñaki, marking the first time since 1986 that two siblings had been on the pitch together for the club.

On January 6, 2022, Williams scored his first two goals for Athletic Bilbao in a Copa del Rey match against Atlético Mancha Real, and shortly after, he netted the winning goal in a Supercopa de España semi-final against Atlético Madrid. Following a series of impressive performances, he was awarded a first-team contract on January 20, 2022.

Williams continued to shine in the 2022–23 La Liga season, starting in four of the first five matches and earning the Player of the Match accolade in a 4–1 victory over Elche CF.

Despite facing challenges, such as receiving online abuse after missing scoring chances in a Copa del Rey semi-final, Williams bounced back to score crucial goals, including a winner against Espanyol.

The 2023–24 season saw Williams contribute significantly to Athletic Bilbao's strong start, providing numerous scoring chances and forming a dynamic front line with his brother Iñaki and Gorka Guruzeta.

Amid media speculation and interest from top clubs like Aston Villa, Barcelona, Liverpool, and Real Madrid, Williams renewed his contract with Athletic Bilbao until 2027 on December 1, 2023.

His remarkable performance in the Copa del Rey final against Mallorca, where he provided an assist and was named Man of the Match, helped the club secure their first major trophy in 40 years.

On the international stage, Williams first represented Spain with the under-18 squad in 2020, followed by appearances for the under-19 and under-21 teams.

He debuted for the senior squad in September 2022 during the UEFA Nations League and scored his first international goal in a friendly against Jordan.

Williams was part of the Spain squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and made significant contributions during the UEFA Euro 2024, including scoring in the final against England and earning the Player of the Match title as Spain claimed their fourth European Championship.

Williams was born to Ghanaian parents who made a perilous journey across the Sahara Desert to reach Melilla, Spain.

Advised by a lawyer to claim they were from war-torn Liberia, his parents settled in Spain shortly before Nico's birth. His elder brother Iñaki is also a professional footballer and forward for Athletic Bilbao. Nico typically wears "Williams Jr" on his shirt, a nod to his footballing lineage.

Explore the life of Nico Williams below.