Spain and Athletic Club star Nico Williams was born in Pamplona to Ghanaian parents who journeyed across the Sahara Desert to reach Melilla, an autonomous Spanish city. His older brother, Iñaki Williams, also a footballer, was born shortly after their parents arrived in Spain and was raised at Athletic Bilbao.
Nico Williams typically wears “Williams Jr” on his shirt, even in international matches where Iñaki is not present. Growing up, he idolised Ghanaian legend, Asamoah Gyan.
On Thursday night in Gelsenkirchen, Nico Williams dazzled as Spain secured their spot in the last 16 of Euro 2024 by defeating defending champions Italy.
The 1-0 scoreline, courtesy of an own goal, didn’t reflect Spain’s dominance, with Nico Williams and his teammate Lamine Yamal outshining the Azzurri.
The 21-year-old winger has impressed with his performances at Euro 2024, particularly in the match against Italy. His display has attracted interest from clubs in England and Spain, though a dream transfer to Barcelona seems unlikely. This opens the door for Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea, who have been monitoring him closely.
Spanish football journalist Guillem Balagué @GuillemBalague shared Nico Williams’s inspiring journey on his social media, describing it as a tale of human trafficking, hope, emigration, and the kindness of strangers. Balagué recounted how Nico Williams’ parents, María and Felix, travelled from Ghana seeking a better future.
“The story of Nico Williams, who is playing the best football of his career, is a modern tale of human trafficking, hope, emigration, and love of strangers,” Balagué wrote on his X account. “Nico’s (and Iñaki’s) parents, María and Felix, travelled from Ghana in search of a better future.”
He further narrated how they used their savings to pay human traffickers for a journey to the UK but were stranded halfway. They also walked the Sahara Desert without shoes, enduring extreme conditions before being arrested in Melilla.
“They used their savings to pay a human trafficking gang to take them to the UK, but they left them stranded halfway. They had to walk the Sahara Desert without shoes (Felix has no sensibility on his foot as he walked over sand 50 degrees hot).”
A priest helped them stay in Spain, where Iñaki was born, followed by Nico in Pamplona.
“María was pregnant from William. Friends died and were buried, but they kept walking. They were arrested in Melilla (Spanish colony) and a lawyer told them to lie and say they had come from a war-affected country (Liberia). They were introduced to a priest who helped them get the documents to stay in Spain and found them work too. Iñaki was born soon after. The family moved to Pamplona (in Navarra) and that is when Nico was born.”
Nico Williams’s performances at the Euro 2024 have confirmed his talent, also with five goals and 11 assists for Athletic Club in La Liga last season. In May, FootballTransfers reported that Arsenal were prepared to trigger his €55 million release clause.
Although Nico Williams prefers to stay in Spain, with Barcelona his only realistic option following Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid.
Arsenal and Chelsea are poised to make a move, with Liverpool also rumoured to be interested. Williams’s Estimated Transfer Value has soared to €60 million, highlighting his rapid improvement.
As Nico Williams continues to shine at Euro 2024, his future looks bright, with top clubs vying for his signature and fans eager to see where his career will take him next.
