Nico Williams Bio, Salary, Net worth, Lifestyle, Club, and International Career

Spanish professional football player Nicholas “Nico” Williams Arthuer was born on July 12, 2002. He plays as a winger for both the Spanish national team and La Liga club Athletic Bilbao. After enrolling in the Athletic Bilbao youth academy in 2013, he advanced to the reserve team in 2020 and the first squad the following year, when he partnered with his older brother Iñaki. With his rapid rise to prominence due to his speed and dribbling abilities, Williams made his senior team debut for Spain in 2022 and was selected for their 2022 FIFA World Cup roster.

The younger Williams brother has been phenomenal in the 2024-25 season and has so far scored 11 goals overall. That includes five goals in the LaLiga, five in the UEFA Europa League and one in the Supercopa De Espana. Rumor has it that some of the big names in world football today are interested in acquiring his services. The likes of Real Madrid are hopeful to have him in their ranks as a possible replacement for Rodrygo, who it seems is on course to bid adieu to the Bernabeu at the end of this season.

Arsenal too are waiting in queue to add the Pamplona-born player to their ranks. So as things stand the future looks very promising for the twenty-two year old.

Nico Williams Biography

Nico Williams Family and Early Life

Nico Williams was born in Pamplona to Ghanaian parents who embarked on a challenging journey across the Sahara Desert to find refuge in Melilla, a Spanish enclave in North Africa. His family’s resilience and determination in the face of adversity shaped his perspective and instilled in him a strong sense of identity.

Sharing a passion for football runs in the family, as Nico’s elder brother, Iñaki Williams, also pursued a career in the sport. Like Nico, Iñaki found his footballing home at Athletic Bilbao, further strengthening their familial connection to the club. Nico Williams often dons “Williams Jr” on the back of his shirt, a homage to his familial ties and distinction from his brother Iñaki. This gesture symbolizes his pride in his heritage and his determination to forge his own legacy in the world of football.

During his formative years, Nico found inspiration in the achievements of Asamoah Gyan, a Ghanaian football icon known for his prowess on the field. Gyan’s success served as a source of motivation for Nico as he pursued his dreams of footballing greatness. While Nico Williams’ professional life is widely documented, he maintains a level of privacy regarding his relationships.

Nico Williams Playing Style and Strengths

Nico Williams is a strong and agile footballer who uses his speed and athletic abilities to run past defenders. Nico also has great ball control and the ability to remain calm under pressure. He is also adept at cutting back in and finishing from difficult angles.

His pacey style enables him to isolate defenders. When not scoring goals he also helps in setting up assists for his teammates.

The younger Williams is a right footed attacking player and plays on the left flank. Revered for his dribbling skills he chooses to play wide to give himself space on the pitch. Blessed with athleticism he is also capable of operating in tight spaces. Most importantly his body movements are hard to read and he feints putting the defenders off guard who find it hard to monitor his movements.

These abilities make him one of the best wingers active in LaLiga today. The Spanish international holds the record for the most dribbles per minute (10.45). A feat which he gained in the 2024/25 LaLiga season. His blistering pace helps him get the upper hand against the defenders as he finds it relatively easy to put them on the wrong foot. The defenders end up putting their body eght in the wrong direction and suffer the consequences.

Nico Williams Net Worth

Nico Williams net worth is expected to be around $10 million in 2024-25 according to Capology and with his stock value rising on a daily basis it won't be a surprise if it gets even higher in the upcoming years. Apparently Nico also happens to be the second highest earner in Bilbao with a weekly earning of over 200,000 euros. His earning is only surpassed at the club by his elder brother Inaki.

Nico Williams Salary

The Williams brothers are the highest paid athletes in the Bilbao ranks. The older brother earns a little more compared to the younger sibling but the difference is negligible. Williams also happens to be the first LaLiga player to be sponsored by Red Bull and also holds endorsement deal with Nike. The offer came to him after his scintillating performance at the Euro 2024 ,which Spain won. Nico also happened to be the opening goalscorer in that fixture.

Nico Williams Partner

Nico Williams career is frolicking on the pitch and so is his love life off the fabled grounds. The player who was rumored to be single has disclosed that he has found his special someone in the form of Ainhite “Ainhi” Garcia. This was revealed through a photo where a woman's hand touched up with red nail polish covered Nico's face in a romantic manner. The caption simply read “I Love You” ending all speculations about the Bilbao star's love life.

Speaking of Ainhite she is IT geek and a certified AI expert who is now delving deeper into Computer Technology Engineering. Along with her educational qualifications she also advocates at a vocational training center in Spain. The two follow each other on Instagram and the star winger of the Spanish national team and Bilbao can be seen showering her with praises with comments on her post.

Ainhi also accompanies Nico to the games and was his constant companion at the Euro 2024 where they couple were spotted together multiple times. It seems that dating Garcia has been a good omen as Lady Luck was on Nico's side, with Spain lifting the Euro 2024 trophy and Nico also shining in the tournament.

Nico Williams Career

Nico Williams career kicked off in 2013 as he joined. His hard work paid off, and he was subsequently promoted to the reserve team in 2020.The following year itself he got promoted to the main team and joined his brother, Inaki, in the process. Since then, he has been in the service of the Bilbao-based club and has provided some great moments for the footballing world and the fans alike.

On the national front, Nico first represented the “La Roja” with the under-18 squad in 2020. He scored two goals in four games on his debut. However, his big break in the game came when he received his first call-up in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League under Luis Enrique. Since then, he has been part of multiple major tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024.

Club Career

Nico Williams was born in Pamplona, Navarre, and his football journey began when he joined the youth academy of Athletic Bilbao in 2013, transitioning from his hometown club CA Osasuna. He honed his skills in the club’s youth setup before making strides in senior football.

In the 2019–20 season, Williams commenced his senior career with Athletic Bilbao’s farm team, Basconia, marking the beginning of his ascent within the club’s ranks. His dedication and talent soon caught the eye of the first-team selectors. On 11 May 2020, Williams received a promotion to the reserve team competing in Segunda División B.
His hard work paid off when he made his long-awaited first-team debut in La Liga on 28 April of the following year. This debut was not only significant for Williams but also marked a historic moment for Athletic Bilbao, as he and his brother Iñaki took to the pitch together, a rare feat for siblings in the club’s history. Williams wasted no time in making an impact, scoring his first goals for the Lions in a Copa del Rey fixture against Atlético Mancha Real in January 2022.

In the 2021–22 season at the Supercopa de España against Atlético Madrid Nico further solidified his presence by netting the winning goal in the semi-final. These performances led to his elevation to a first-team contract in January 2022.

The 2022–23 La Liga campaign saw Williams emerge as a regular starter, showcasing his versatility and attacking prowess. He earned plaudits for his standout performance against Elche CF, where he not only scored his maiden league goal but also contributed significantly to a memorable away victory.

However, his most memorable performance came for the club in in 2023-24 Copa Del Rey final. It was his assist that helped his club equalize against Mallorca as they were trailing by a solitary goal. Nico was eventually declared the MOTM in that game. The victory made Williams an overnight sensation in Bilbao, and speculation swirled regarding his future at the club as he was turning into a bigger star. In spite of the temptations at hand, Williams committed his allegiance to La Liga’s Athletic Bilbao by signing a contract extension until 2027, quelling rumors linking him with various European giants. His decision reaffirmed his dedication to the club and its ambitious endeavors.

International Career

In 2020, Williams made his debut for Spain with the under-18 team, tallying two goals in four matches. The following year he got his call for the Spain Under-19 team in the month of February 2021. Niko Williams also made his debut for the Under 21 side the same year/

In September 2022, he was called up for the first time to the senior team, which is led by Luis Enrique, for the UEFA Nations League 2022–23 matches. He netted his first goal for his country on November 17 in a friendly against Jordan. He was then called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he made four appearances (one start) and watched as Spain lost to Morocco in the Round of 16 on penalties.

Fast forward to 2024 Nico was called up for the UEFA Euro 2024 squad. Little did he know then that it would mark a turning point in his career. He scored two goals in the competition against Georgia in a (4-1) victory and the opener in the final against England helping his country win the prestigious title for the fourth time. Another feather that Niko managed to add to his cap was a 100% passing accuracy in the 2024 Euros which has never been achieved before.

Niko Williams Awards and Achievements

Niko Williams might be young, but he is already the recipient of multiple awards and accolades. Here's a list of honours that the player has won in his young career.