Iñaki Williams

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Iñaki Williams
Williams playing for Athletic Bilbao in 2018
Personal information
Full name Iñaki Williams Arthuer[1]
Date of birth (1994-06-15) 15 June 1994 (age 29)[2]
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Athletic Bilbao
Number 9
Youth career
Natación Pamplona[3]
2008–2012 Pamplona
2012–2013 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Basconia 18 (7)
2014–2015 Bilbao Athletic 32 (21)
2014– Athletic Bilbao 334 (72)
International career
2015–2017 Spain U21 17 (3)
2016 Spain 1 (0)
2018–2020 Basque Country 2 (0)
2022– Ghana 17 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:25, 17 March 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:32, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Iñaki Williams Arthuer (born 15 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Ghana national team.[1]

Developed at Athletic Bilbao's academy, he has made over 400 first-team appearances for the club, including a La Liga record of 251 consecutive games. He scored the winning goal of the 2020–21 Supercopa de España.

Born in Spain to Ghanaian parents, Williams made his full debut for the Spain national team in 2016. In 2022, he chose to represent Ghana at international level, being selected for the 2022 World Cup as well as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His younger brother Nico also plays for Athletic Bilbao, and for Spain.

Club career[edit]

Early life and youth career[edit]

Born in Bilbao, Biscay to Ghanaian parents (who reached Spain by crossing the Sahara on foot and jumping the Melilla border fence),[4][5][3] Williams spent most of his childhood living in Pamplona,[6][7][5] specifically the Rochapea [es] neighbourhood,[8][9] and was playing youth football with local CD Pamplona when he was spotted by Athletic Bilbao, who signed him to their youth setup at Lezama at the age of 18.[10] He spent his first season with the Juvenil A side and made a big impression, scoring at the rate of almost a goal a game (eventually ending with 36); the team finished runners-up in the Copa del Rey Juvenil de Fútbol,[11] and on 25 June 2013 he signed a new contract with the Basque club, running until 2017.[12]

Williams began 2013–14 playing with the farm team Basconia who competed in the Tercera División.[13] After suffering a knee injury in August,[14] he returned to activity in October, making his senior debut and marking it with a goal.[6] He was immediately called up to the reserves in the Segunda División B and by the end of the same month had played his first match and scored his first goals at that level; he spent the campaign alternating between both squads.[15]

At the start of 2014–15, Williams scored a hat-trick for Bilbao Athletic in a 4–0 win against Amorebieta,[16] and followed this on 7 September 2014 with another treble in a 5–1 win over Leioa.[17] Despite only playing the first half of the season, his 13 goals from 18 appearances helped the team ascend to the Segunda División.[18][19]

Athletic Bilbao[edit]

On 6 December 2014, after profiting from Aritz Aduriz's injury,[20] Williams made his first-team (and La Liga) debut, starting in a 1–0 home loss against Córdoba.[21] He netted his first goal on 19 February of the following year, starting and contributing to a 2–2 draw at Torino in the UEFA Europa League round of 32,[22] becoming in the process the first black player to score for the club.[23][3]

On 17 May 2015, Williams scored his first goal in the top flight, netting a last-minute winner in a 3–2 away victory over Elche to help Athletic come from being behind 2–0.[24] Thirteen days later, he headed a consolation goal in the 3–1 loss to Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey at the Camp Nou.[25] He missed the 2015 Supercopa de España victory over the same opponents three months later through injury.[26][27]

Williams scored a brace (before giving away a penalty) in a 3–1 win away to Betis, on 1 November 2015.[28] He repeated the feat the following match, at home against Partizan in the Europa League group stage (5–1).[29] Finding the net in his third match running, he scored "a phenomenal volley" to help beat Espanyol 2–1 at the San Mamés.[30]

Williams with Athletic Bilbao in 2015

In late January 2016, having been scouted by the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, Williams agreed to an extension of his contract until 2021; the deal included a €50 million buyout clause.[31] He was sent off on 6 February at the end of a goalless home draw with Villarreal, together with opponent Daniele Bonera.[32]

During autumn 2017, Williams scored important late goals in the Europa League against Östersund[33] and Hertha BSC[34] to help his team finish top of the group. On 17 January 2018, he agreed a contract renewal, running until 2025 with an incremental buyout clause of around €80 million.[35]

On 13 January 2019, Williams scored both goals in a 2–0 home league win over Sevilla, finding the net at San Mamés for the first time in 41 league appearances (the previous occasion being in December 2016).[36] His second, involving a turn and sprint from his own half, touch away from the goalkeeper and precise finish at high speed, was described as "incredible" – it was later awarded as the Marca Golden Goal of the season.[37][38][3] The fixture was also his 100th successive appearance in the league,[37] only the fifth Athletic player to achieve this[39] and the first outfield player from any Spanish club to do so since Fran in 1993; for his performances, he was named the La Liga Player of the Month.[40]

Williams signed a nine-year contract in August 2019, with his release clause set at €135 million.[41][42][3] Late in the same month he started and scored in a 2–0 Basque derby win[43] for his 122nd consecutive Spanish League game, setting a new record by an outfield player in the 21st century ahead of goalkeeper Diego López.[44] On 24 November, he repeated the feat in a 2–1 away victory against Osasuna, breaking a 31–game undefeated streak of the hosts at their El Sadar Stadium; the occasion also marked his 133rd consecutive appearance in the Spanish top tier, establishing a new club record previously held by Carmelo Cedrún.[45][46]

On 17 January 2021, Williams scored from 20 metres early into extra time of an eventual 3–2 win over Barcelona in the Spanish Supercup final.[47][48] On 11 September, he celebrated his 300th appearance for Athletic with a goal in a 2–0 victory against Mallorca.[49][50] A week later, he became the only second player to play in 200 successive Spanish league games as he started in a 0–0 draw away to defending champions Atlético Madrid.[51] On 1 October, he set a new record outright with his 203rd consecutive appearance in the home match with Alavés, breaking the mark set by Juan Antonio Larrañaga of Real Sociedad between 1986 and 1992.[52][5]

On 17 April 2022, after starting against Celta, Williams passed the six-year mark since he last missed a league match for the club, and extended his own Spanish top-flight record of consecutive games to 224.[53] His six-year run came to an end at 251 on 29 January 2023, when he was left out of the squad for the fixture against the same opposition, a 1–0 loss.[54][55]

In January 2024, having been on international duty at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Williams made the journey back to Bilbao from Abidjan immediately after Ghana's early elimination from the tournament at the group stage was confirmed.[56] He entered as a substitute during the second half of Athletic's Copa quarter-final against Barcelona and scored in extra time to help his side to a 4–2 win,[57] and a fifth consecutive semi-final in the competition.[58]

International career[edit]

Spain[edit]

On 20 March 2015, Williams received his first international call-up, being named in Albert Celades' Spain under-21 squad for friendlies with Norway and Belarus.[59] He made his debut on the 26th against the former, replacing goalscorer Munir El Haddadi at half-time of a 2–0 friendly win in Cartagena.[60]

Williams was listed as one of 11 standby players for Vicente del Bosque's Spain squad at UEFA Euro 2016.[61] He made his senior debut on 29 May, replacing fellow debutant Marco Asensio at the hour mark of a 3–1 friendly defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[62]

On 12 October 2018, Williams debuted for the Basque representative side, playing the full 90 minutes of a 4–2 win over Venezuela at the Mendizorrotza Stadium.[63]

Ghana[edit]

Around the time of his Spain debut in 2016, Williams was also coveted by the Ghana national team, being watched by their Spanish scout Gerard Nus.[64] In 2021, having made no competitive appearances for Spain which would have tied him to his birth nation permanently, he spoke of the possibility of playing for Ghana: "My parents are from Accra and I really enjoy going. But I wasn't born or raised there, my culture's here, and there are players for whom it would mean more. I don't think it would be right to take the place of someone who really deserves to go and who feels Ghana 100%."[5] Local media interpreted this as a rejection of any approach from the Black Stars.[65][66]

Ultimately, on 5 July 2022, Williams announced that he was making himself available for the African nation in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[67][68] In September, he received his first call-up for friendlies with Brazil and Nicaragua.[69] He made his debut against the former, playing the second half of the 3–0 loss in Le Havre.[70] He was selected in Ghana's squad for the finals in Qatar;[71] within the team, he took the name "Kweku" due to the day in which he was born (Wednesday), a Ghanaian custom.[72]

Williams was also called up for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast (played in January 2024).[73][56]

Personal life[edit]

Williams received his Basque first name in honour of a Caritas Internationalis worker in Bilbao who helped his parents after they arrived in Spain in the year he was born;[3] they had been advised by an unidentified lawyer to claim to be from a war-torn country, namely Liberia, when they first entered the country.[74][5] His younger brother, Nico, is also a footballer and a forward; he too was brought up at Athletic Bilbao.[75][3][76][5]

Williams was one of the stars of the Amazon Prime television documentary series Six Dreams, recorded during the 2017–18 season.[77] He can speak Spanish, Akan, Basque and English.[78][3] In 2021, he said that he and his family had lost fluency in English, but still communicated with relatives in the Twi dialect of Akan.[5]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 16 March 2024[79][80]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other Total
League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Basconia 2013–14 Tercera División 18 7 18 7
Bilbao Athletic 2013–14 Segunda División B 14 8 14 8
2014–15 Segunda División B 18 13 18 13
Total 32 21 32 21
Athletic Bilbao 2014–15 La Liga 19 1 4 1 2 1 25 3
2015–16 La Liga 25 8 5 3 7[a] 2 0 0 37 13
2016–17 La Liga 38 5 3 2 8[a] 1 49 8
2017–18 La Liga 38 7 1 0 13[a] 3 52 10
2018–19 La Liga 38 12[b] 3 2 41 14[b]
2019–20 La Liga 38 6 8[c] 3[d] 46 9[d]
2020–21 La Liga 38 6 6 1 2[e] 1 46 8
2021–22 La Liga 38 8 4 0 2[e] 0 44 8
2022–23 La Liga 36 10 6 1 42 11
2023–24 La Liga 26 9 4 2 30 11
Total 334 72[b] 44 15[d] 30 7 4 1 412 95[b][d]
Career total 383 100[b] 44 15[d] 30 7 4 1 461 123[b][d]
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ a b c d e f The Athletic Bilbao website[80] credits Williams with one additional goal against Levante in the 2018–19 La Liga; however, it was recorded in the official match report as a Aitor Fernández own goal.[81]
  3. ^ Includes appearance in 2020 Copa del Rey final (played in 2021)
  4. ^ a b c d e f The Athletic Bilbao website[80] credits Williams with one additional goal against FC Barcelona in the 2019–20 Copa del Rey quarter-final, as initially reported in several media reports of the fixture;[82][83] however, it was recorded in the official match report as a Sergio Busquets own goal,[84] with video footage of the incident inconclusive.[85]
  5. ^ a b Appearances in Supercopa de España

International[edit]

As of match played 22 January 2024[86]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Spain 2016 1 0
Ghana 2022 6 0
2023 7 1
2024 4 0
Total 17 1
Total 18 1

Scores and results list Ghana's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Williams goal.

List of international goals scored by Iñaki Williams
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 17 November 2023 Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi, Ghana  Madagascar 1–0 1–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification [87]

Honours[edit]

Athletic Bilbao

Spain U21

Individual

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Renedo, Íñigo (7 May 2015). "Iñaki Williams, la pantera de Lezama" [Iñaki Williams, Lezama's panther]. La República (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Iñaki Williams". Eurosport. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Krichko, Kade (21 August 2019). "Iñaki Williams blazes a trail at Spain's historic Athletic Club: 'I have in my blood what it means to be Basque'". ESPN. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  4. ^ Cantera, Silvia (14 May 2019). "Iñaki Williams: "Tengo entre 5 y 10 millones de euros"" [Iñaki Williams: "I have between 5 and 10 million euros"]. El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Lowe, Sid (6 October 2021). "Iñaki Williams: 'My parents crossed the desert barefoot to get to Spain'". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Iñaki Williams regresa con gol" [Iñaki Williams returns with a goal]. El Correo (in Spanish). 15 October 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  7. ^ "El discurso de Williams que todo el mundo elogia: "Soy negro, pero también vasco"" [The Williams speech that everyone praises: "I am black, but also Basque"]. El Correo (in Spanish). 9 August 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  8. ^ Magro Eizmendi, Imanol (5 August 2017). "Beltzetik argitara | Ahomentan: Iñaki Williams eta Cheikhouna Dieng" [From darkness to light | Ahomentan: Iñaki Williams and Cheikhouna Dieng]. Berria (in Basque). Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  9. ^ García, Alberto (5 June 2020). "Williams, "orgulloso" por una protesta contra el racismo en su barrio de la infancia" [Williams, "proud" of a protest against racism in his childhood neighborhood]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2021.
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  13. ^ Ruiz, David (6 December 2014). "Iñaki Williams, el nuevo león del Athletic de Bilbao" [Iñaki Williams, Athletic de Bilbao's new lion]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2020.
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  35. ^ "Iñaki Williams's contract renewal". Athletic Bilbao. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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  38. ^ a b "The MARCA 2019 football awards: Messi collects sixth Pichichi". Marca. Madrid. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
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  40. ^ a b "Iñaki Williams named LaLiga Santander Player of the Month for January". La Liga. 6 February 2019. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  41. ^ "Inaki Williams: Athletic Bilbao striker signs nine-year contract". BBC Sport. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  42. ^ "Williams: 'I want to be a reference for the youngest'". Athletic Bilbao. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  43. ^ Díaz, Juan Carlos (31 August 2019). "Athletic Club maul Real Sociedad in Basque derby". Marca. Madrid. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  44. ^ "Williams hace historia en LaLiga" [Williams makes history in LaLiga]. ElDesmarque (in Spanish). 30 August 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  45. ^ "Osasuna 1–2 Athletic Club: Lions break El Sadar". Inside Athletic. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  46. ^ Martín, Asís (24 November 2019). "Iñaki Williams supera el récord histórico de Carmelo" [Iñaki Williams breaks Carmelo's historical record]. ElDesmarque (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  47. ^ a b Bell, Arch (17 January 2021). "Williams sinks Barcelona and Athletic claim the Supercopa". Marca. Madrid. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  48. ^ "Resumen | El Athletic rubrica en La Cartuja el supercampeonato de España tras vencer al FC Barcelona (2–3)" [Summary | Athletic seal Spanish super championship in La Cartuja after beating FC Barcelona (2–3)] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  49. ^ Zaballa, Carlos (11 September 2021). "Williams cumple 300 partidos como león" [Williams completes 300 matches as a lion]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  50. ^ "2–0. El Athletic alarga su racha y duerme líder" [2–0. Athletic extend their streak and go to sleep as leaders] (in Spanish). EFE. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  51. ^ Gómez, Verónica (18 September 2021). "Williams alcanza los 200 partidos consecutivos en Liga" [Williams reaches 200 consecutive matches in La Liga] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  52. ^ "Inaki Williams sets record with 203rd consecutive Liga game". France 24. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  53. ^ Wright, Chris (18 April 2022). "Incredible Inaki! Williams hasn't missed a LaLiga game for Athletic Club for SIX years". ESPN. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  54. ^ "Inaki Williams' incredible 6-year La Liga record comes to an end". Ghana Web. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  55. ^ Hindle, Thomas (29 January 2023). "251 consecutive games! Inaki Williams' incredible appearance run ends as Athletic Club star sits out Celta Vigo clash". Goal. FootballCo Media. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  56. ^ a b Amoasi Appiah, Samuel Ekow (23 January 2024). "2023 AFCON: Athletic Bilbao to fly Inaki Williams back to Spain tonight after Ghana's shocking elimination". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  57. ^ Azzoni, Tales (25 January 2024). "Williams scores on return from Africa Cup to help Athletic beat Barcelona in Copa". Associated Press. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  58. ^ Herrán, Alfonso (25 January 2024). "El Athletic es una máquina imparable de ganar partidos en la Copa" [Athletic are an unstoppable machine at winning matches in the Cup]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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  62. ^ Campos, Tomás (29 May 2016). "Nolito endulza un duelo atípico" [Nolito sweetens an atypical duel]. Marca (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  63. ^ Río, Endika (12 October 2018). "Martín, Elustondo, Yuri y Williams juegan los 90 minutos" [Martín, Elustondo, Yuri and Williams play for 90 minutes]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  64. ^ Narkortu Teye, Prince (2 May 2016). "Gerard Nus: Inaki Williams could play for Ghana". Goal. FootballCo Media. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  65. ^ "I feel more Spanish than Ghanaian – Inaki Williams shuts door on Black Stars". GhanaWeb. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  66. ^ Quaynor, Mishael (7 October 2021). "I don't feel Ghanaian enough to play for Black Stars – Inaki Williams". MyJoyOnline. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  67. ^ "🇬🇭🖤@ghanaofficial" (in Spanish). 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  68. ^ Eleto, Clinton (5 July 2022). "Breaking News: Inaki Williams confirms Ghana Black Stars switch". Sahara Football. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
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  70. ^ "Ghana coach downplays 'danger' of his World Cup reshuffle". Radio France Internationale. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
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  75. ^ Río, Endika (10 February 2019). "El hermano de Iñaki Williams debuta con gol en el juvenil del Athletic" [Iñaki Williams's brother debuts with goal for Athletic youths]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
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  86. ^ Iñaki Williams at National-Football-Teams.com
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External links[edit]