Nico Williams: The rise of athletic Bilbao and the Spanish wing that could be set for the Premier League this summer | Football news

Nico Williams wasn’t even a teenager when Athletic Bilbao realized he would be a big star.

“When he was a kid, he was different,” says Andoni Bombin, a athletic former reconnaisser and head of the methodology, says Sky Sports. “Even when he was in the U12, everyone always thought he was one of the following stars of the club.”

It must have come to the fruit, but maybe in greater extent than he predicted first. Williams is not just a key gem of Athletic, but also a national hero for Spain. England revealed that in the Euro 2024 final, Williams scored the first La Roja goal in Berlin.

This is probably the culmination of the promising and blooming career-Williams so far not even 23 years old, and on his behalf he has the title of euro, plus the status of a cult hero aid in delivery of Copa del Reya for Athletic after a 40-year waiting for a trophy.

Although it is with a chance to continue the dream of delivering the Europa League title for the Athletic with the finals in Bilbau, the Plus interest of the Premier League that comes this summer, there could be many more moments ahead.

The bombin was in charge of the promotion of the best Talents Athletic through their youth structure and played a major role in moving Williams through age groups.

Coming from Osasuna as a U11S player, one age group was immediately set up. When he was 16, he played with U19. Two years later, he played for Basconi, the third team of Athletic, on the eve of the schedule. His first team athletic debut would arrive next season.

“Even when he was in the U18, he had a personality to play, a personality to perform in that category that is not easy,” Bombin adds.

“So we all had the same opinion of him: that he would become the highest level player.”

There were also huge motivation of Williams driving and it was a dream of imitating his brother Inaki.

Eight years of Nico’s senior, Inaki broke into the first team of Athletic ten years ago, has become an icon at the club since then, closing on 500 appearances.

Inaki has’ Williams’ on his back his shirt, while Nico accepts’ Williams Jr’-Isastic’s respect for her brother, but also a dynamics like a father and a son between the two.

And the brothers dominate the athletic wings. They sit side by side in key attacks by statistics of measuring data this season as dangerous outlets. Nico on the left, inaki on the right – although they change at a time like children playing on the playground.

The dream of this partnership, however, began at the athletic academy, and Nico watched his older brother in the first team.

“For Nico, the reference was supposed to be his brother – try to get his level, and then when he got there, try to be better than him,” Bombin says.

“And now, if you ask Inaki, I think he’ll say the same thing: Nico is more complete than him.

“When they are both on the same level, of course, I would play both. But if I need to decide between them, I think it is Nico. Because in situations of one opposite one situation, I think it’s better than Inaki, but that’s just a small difference.”

However, it was not a direct story for Williams brothers in Bilbau. Documentary film released about them last year, Williamsdiscovered negative perception of allocation.

The employment structure of Athletic using exclusively players brought through the Basque country led to primarily white demographics in their team in generations. Several ethnic minority players appeared, but Athletic became the last club of Laliga to be on the black player in 2011. Inaki then became the first black goalkeeper Athletic in 2015.

The Williams brothers grew up in the Basque country after their parents left Ghana in search of a better life. Athletic fans have always taken in pairs as two. But the color of their skin in the context of this demographic group has become the target of rival fans, receiving the treatment that it is not different from the recent racism of the fight of Real Madrid Vinicius Jr in Spanish football.

For Nico, who watched his brother receive abuse when he first broke through, Athletic wanted to emphasize that his younger brother had a home.

“We always say the same thing: a sense of belonging is one of the keys to the athletic club project,” says Bombin.

“Providing all the players of the Academy this sense of belonging makes them better players. When you connect it with your abilities, you are able to go forward as quickly as possible.

“And Nico realized it perfectly. So that makes him like,” Okay, I’m an athletic club. This is my club. I want to be a football player of the athletic club. “

This became important last summer for both the players and the club, when Barcelona approached the signing of NICO. The player had a choice to make, but he decided to stay – partly because of the relationship he had with Athletic and how he would notice the transition to a historic, direct rival.

“I think it was really useful to have his brother in his life, because through Inaki he understands perfectly what this club means,” says Bombin.

“So this will be the perfect combination to get what you want. And now I think it’s a good example: Nico Williams is on the first team and doesn’t think where he could go in the future.

“He just enjoys what he does, enjoys the club, winning titles and is just happy where he plays.”

The transfers saga waves also ran into this season, and the young wing player slowly started the campaign. The emotional summer of Spanish Euro success has had an impact, but it is also suggested that Barcelona is an aggressive search for a 22-year-old.

There are nine goals this season, but seven of them came from the crossing of the year – although this term was relatively without injuries. It is rich in form while preparing to deal with the Rangers in the Europa League quarterfinals, double double in the last win of Roma’s return, it indicates that it is now because of its seasonal troubles.

And Athletic’s – and maybe a player – resolving will be tested this summer, with more attention to the transfer. Sky Sports News He understands that Arsenal has a great interest in the wing player, and Barcelona are likely to revive his long -term approach.

So, will the player get married with athletic and Spanish football to be able to reduce in the Premier League?

“The Premier League plays very quickly with direct attacks, long balls, always with many situations in contrast to one situation, the possibilities of counter-on-going,” says Bombin.

“I think he will be ready if that happens in the future because his characteristics, I think, are the best for this kind of football.”