Inaki Williams of Athletic Bilbao is trending on social media as a result of his decision to play for Ghana.
Despite played for Spain at the U-21 and senior levels, the striker has committed to Ghana and is thus ineligible to play for Spain.
Below are 10 facts about the new Ghana striker.
- Born on June 15, 1994, at the Hospital de Cruces in Barakaldo. “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 on several occasions.
- His father is from Ghana, and his mother is from Liberia. They met in a refugee camp in Accra (Ghana), where they were fleeing the Liberian civil war. In 1994, fate brought them to Barakaldo (Bizkaia). They devoted themselves to animal care, vintage, and harvesting there. They lived in Barakaldo for a few months before relocating 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.
- 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.
- His brother Nicholas plays in the youth ranks, at U16. When they were little, Inaki 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, he scored 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 Inaki 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 Inaki had a thorn in his side. Had not yet scored at San Mamés. On November 5, 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 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 kilometres per hour, beating Cristiano Ronaldo (33.6) and Messi (32.5).
