Joining Athletic Bilbao's youth academy in 2013, he was promoted to the reserve team in 2020 and to the first team a year later, becoming a teammate of elder brother Iñaki. Quickly being widely recognised for his speed and dribbling skills,[2] Williams debuted for Spain's senior side in 2022 and was a member of their 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.
On 11 May 2020, Williams was promoted to the reserve team in the Segunda División B.[5] He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 28 April of the following year, coming on as a second-half substitute for Jon Morcillo in a 2–2 home draw against Real Valladolid;[6] his brother Iñaki also came off the bench ten minutes later. It was the first time two siblings had been on the pitch at the same time for the club since Julio and Patxi Salinas in 1986.[7]
Williams was a starter in four of the first five matches of the 2022–23 La Liga campaign, and was named player of the match in a 4–1 away win against Elche CF on 11 September 2022. In the first half-hour of the match he pressurised an opponent into conceding an own goal, won a penalty for a trip (converted by Oihan Sancet) then scored himself via a dribble from the right wing and powerful shot for his first goal in the competition.[11] Coincidentally this was the same venue and opponent where his brother first found the net in the league seven years earlier.[12] He scored again the following week, the decisive goal of a 3–2 victory over Rayo Vallecano and his first at San Mamés.[13]
Athletic made a strong start to the 2023–24 La Liga season with Williams providing numerous scoring chances, mainly from the left wing as coach Ernesto Valverde settled on a front line featuring Iñaki on the opposite flank and Gorka Guruzeta in the centre.[14] With his contract due to expire in 2024 and media speculation linking him with clubs such as Aston Villa, Barcelona, Liverpool and Real Madrid,[15][16] Williams's representatives negotiated with the club for several months before a new contract running to 2027 was agreed on 1 December 2023.[17]
International career
Williams first represented Spain with the under-18 squad in 2020, scoring two goals in four games.[18] He was called up to the Spain under-19s in February 2021,[19] and made his debut for the under-21s in September of the same year.[20] He received his first call-up to the senior squad, coached by Luis Enrique, for 2022–23 UEFA Nations League fixtures in September 2022.[21]
On November 17 he scored his first goal for the national team in a friendly against Jordan and subsequently was called up for 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he made four appearances (one start) as Spain were eliminated in a penalty shootout by Morocco in the Round of 16.[22]
Personal life
Williams was born in Pamplona to Ghanaian parents, who travelled across the Sahara Desert to reach Melilla, an autonomous Spanish city located in North Africa.[23][24][25] His elder brother Iñaki Williams is also a footballer and a forward; he too was brought up at Athletic Bilbao having been born in Spain a short time after his parents arrived there.[26][27] Nico typically wears Williams Jr on the back of his shirt, including in international matches which do not involve Iñaki. Growing up, he was a fan of Asamoah Gyan.[28]
Jordan
Georgia