Iñaki Williams wants to continue breaking down barriers after becoming the first Black player to captain Athletic Club.
The Bilbao-born forward, whose parents are from Ghana, represents the African nation in international football.
His younger brother Nico, a star in Spain‘s Euro 2024 winning team, recently signed a contract extension with Athletic.
“It means a lot,” Iñaki, 31, said on Tuesday when asked about being the first Black person to captain the team. “If it weren’t for my parents, Nico and I wouldn’t be here.
“We are lucky to represent many people who come from abroad to earn their living. To be a reference here and in Spain it’s important for us.
“We come from humble backgrounds and to showcase what people [immigrants] come here to do. Now that the far right seems to be more popular, those of us who have a voice will try to continue working and breaking down barriers. I’ve been 11 years in the first team having gone before through all the youth sides. It’s an immense joy. I’m ready.”
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Iñaki, meanwhile, believes his brother, Nico Williams, has made the right decision to remain at Athletic.
A long-time target of Barcelona, Nico, 23, signed a 10-year contract with the Bilbao outfit earlier this month.
“The easy thing would have been for him [Nico] to go to a big club to win the Premier League or Bundesliga,” Iñaki said.
“But he has decided to stay here, with Athletic, to build his legacy, to play alongside his brother, to have our parents see him every day at San Mamés … He had many offers. He’s a top-level player with a clause that’s affordable for big clubs. But the outside noise and what’s happened can make you doubt yourself.
“Even so, he’s made the best decision, with his heart and with ambition.”
Iñaki spoke about the “damaging” media campaign that Barça allegedly used to try to pressure his brother Nico to leave Athletic earlier this summer.
“We all know how the world of soccer works and the pressure they wanted to exert, especially on Athletic and on my brother,” he said.
“It’s a media campaign that they may have thought would work for them. As a club, when we want a player, we do it quietly, and I think that all the noise from outside has done a lot of damage and muddied the waters because a lot of what was leaked to the media was untrue.”
Athletic, who will play in the Champions League this coming season, begin LaLiga against Sevilla on Aug. 17.
