Extreme. The Athletic attacker has for the first time refused to follow in his brother’s footsteps and has opted for the Spanish team against Ghana
‘Mommy, mama ‘I’m going to the national team’ I started yelling in the living room. He came running and hugged me. She started to cry and soon my father appeared too. This is how Nico Williams (Pamplona, in July 20, 56 games and 6 goals with Athletic) told his unexpected call to La Roja at the end of September. After his brilliant performance at Athletic, his speed, his explosive play and his determination to overwhelm his marker on every game made him a highly visible player. And now he has been called up to attend his first World Cup.
Luis Enrique immediately caught his eye, as happened to Marcelino before, who made it a personal bet and brought him to Rojiblanco’s first team, and to Ernesto Valverde, who has consolidated him as a starter.
«Iñaki has always been like a father to him. His dream has always been to have the whole family together in Bilbao,” they say from those around them. When today’s Ghana striker arrived at the Athletic residence, his mother and little Nico were staying in Pamplona while his father worked in London.
Iñaki, in his role as older brother, paved the way and reached Athletic, enabling the “reunification” of the Williams family. While he was consolidating in Rojiblanco’s first team, he saw his brother make giant strides in the lower categories. On April 28, 2021 against Valladolid, Marcelino made them realize their big dream: playing together.
“Iñaki is a real father. He has great values, many, many virtues. He has been there to correct Nico. His influence on how Nico is and behaves is absolutely decisive. He has extraordinary human qualities, an attitude to his profession that makes him the perfect role model, a mirror in which the little brother looks at himself,” said Marcelino.
There is no better example of him being your guide than what happened in the 2021 Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. After leaving the box Nico took the silver medal. His brother forced him to put it back on.
Ever since Nico arrived at Athletic’s alevín A from Osasuna, he has always shared a shield with his brother. In addition, Iñaki has always been very clear that his mission was to guide him in his career and to protect him in his first steps in the locker room of the professional team.
For the first time, Nico Iñaki’s dressing room does not aim to achieve, nor do they defend the same shield. The eldest is not included in Luis Enrique’s plans and suddenly he surprised last summer by announcing his decision to join the Ghana team. The ‘Black Stars’ also addressed the little boy, but Nico said it was time to fly alone and follow his own destiny, separated from his brother.
The African Federation has insisted on keeping the door open for him after his first call-up to the national team, but the reality is stubborn. Nico only thinks of succeeding at Spain and, moreover, as soon as he plays a minute at the World Cup, Ghana will have to say goodbye to him definitively.
“Coming here without Iñaki is like leaving home,” he confessed at the extreme in his first concentration with Spain. He accepts his status as a little brother so much that the name on his shirt is Williams Jr..
Nico, with a 50 million clause, will conclude his contract with Athletic in 2024. He will go to the World Cup without the negotiations for his extension have started. His club is confident that he will only fly away from his brother in the national team and that he will continue by his side in Lezama.
Source: La Verdad
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