Spanish-born Ghanaian striker, Iñaki Williams announced his international allegiance switch to player for the senior national team of Ghana on Tuesday.
Williams, who has been in the books of Athletic Bilbao since 2014, capped in a friendly match for Spain under Vicente del Bosque back in 2016, earning a single 30-minute cameo against Bosnia in a 3-1 victory. As it was only a friendly, he is allowed to switch his allegiance.
Williams, 28, was born to Ghanaian parents who emigrated across the Sahara desert to reach Spain and ended up raising Inaki and his brother Nico in the Basque country.
Below are the 13 amazing facts about Inaki Williams
— Born in Barakaldo in June 15, 1994, at the Hospital de Cruces. "I was born here, I've been here twenty years, but the origins and roots are not forgotten. My parents were born in Liberia and I feel that my whole family is there. A part of me is also African", has confessed the player in several occasions.
— His father is Ghanaian and his mother from Liberian. They met in a refugee camp in Accra (Ghana), fleeing from the Liberian civil war. Fate led them to Barakaldo (Bizkaia) in 1994. There, they dedicated themselves to the caring for animals, vintage and harvest. They lived in Barakaldo for a few months and then they moved to Navarra.
— His first team was the Club Natation. Did not go unnoticed. Soon a scout from Pamplona went to see him. Signed him right away.
— Iñaki Williams used to live far from Pamplona´s field. His teammates took turns so that the player could go training. There they called him Balotelli for his physical resemblance to the Italian player.
— He plays at Athletic Bilbao with his younger brother Nicholas (Nico Williams). When they were little, Iñaki Williams accompanied him to his matches. In addition, he refereed kid’s games, earning 10 euros a week.
— When in he was at U18, Athletic Club threw the hook. Occasionally he trained in Lezama. In the summer of 2012, Williams was tested with the "Rojiblancos". He stayed. In his first season, he scored 31 goals in 31 games in Division de Honor. In his first year in the second team, eight goals in 14 games.
— On December 6, 2014 he debuted against Córdoba CF. February 19, 2015, 52 days later, he scored his first goal with the shirt of Athletic. It was in Turin. A cross from the side by Borja Viguera and Iñaki Williams stroked it from the box.
— It is the first black footballer, also of African descent, to score a goal with the red and white jersey.
— But Iñaki had a thorn in his side. Had not yet scored at San Mamés. On November 5, Iñaki Williams scored for the first time there. He did it twice. And in four minutes, from the 15th to the 19th. One of the heroes of the fans scored two of the five goals of Athletic against Partizan.
— Fast as a bullet. Athletic Bilbao player is the fastest of Liga BBVA. He does not run, he flies. Specifically over 35.71 kilometers per hour, beating Cristiano Ronaldo (33.6) and Messi (32.5).
— Inaki Williams has not missed a La Liga match since 2016. Making 272 first-team appearances to date – and has managed to score 53 goals. The run started on 20 April 2016 in a league match against Atletico de Madrid – the forward, who was recovering from his fourth muscular injury of that campaign, was appearing as a substitute for Iker Muniain.
— Inaki Williams signed a nine-year contract extension with Athletic Bilbao in 2019 to keep him at the San Mames until the summer of 2028.
— His release clause was pegged at €135 million
