Latest news with #Bilbao
New Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
New Athletic captain Williams 'lucky' to represent migrants in Spain
MADRID: Athletic Bilbao's first ever black captain Inaki Williams expressed pride at representing immigrants in Spain and called out the far right on Tuesday, after rare anti-migrant unrest shocked the country. Williams, 31, and his younger brother Nico are stars of the club which traditionally only fields players born or brought up in the Basque Country that straddles northern Spain and southwestern France. Bilbao-born Williams has spoken of how his Ghanaian parents crossed the Sahara on foot en route to Spain, with his mother clambering over the perilous border fence separating the Spanish exclave of Melilla from Morocco while pregnant with him. Asked about becoming the club's first black captain after the retirement of Oscar de Marcos and amid rising support for the far right, the Ghana striker told a press conference "it means a lot." "Destiny is destiny. If it were not for my parents, I would not be here, nor Nico," he said. "We are lucky to be able to represent many people who come from outside to earn their daily bread, and be a reference... it's important for us." An immigration debate gripped Spain earlier this month after three nights of violence between far-right groups and residents, many of North African origin, in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco. The far-right Vox party, which has climbed in recent polls, seized on the unrest that erupted after a 68-year-old pensioner in Torre Pacheco told media he was attacked by three men of North African origin. Vox has also proposed the deportation of all irregular migrants, with tens of thousands arriving on Spanish shores every year on boats from Africa. "It seems that the far right is in fashion. We who have a voice will try to keep working, to continue silencing mouths and keep tearing down barriers," Williams said. The Williams brothers are set to play a pivotal role in Bilbao's upcoming domestic and Champions League campaigns after Spain forward Nico, 23, turned down reported interest from Barcelona and signed a new long-term contract.--AFP
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Inaki Williams proud to represent migrants as Athletic Bilbao's first black captain
ATHLETIC BILBAO'S first ever black captain Inaki Williams expressed pride at representing immigrants in Spain and called out the far right on Tuesday, after rare anti-migrant unrest shocked the country. Williams, 31, and his younger brother Nico are stars of the club which traditionally only fields players born or brought up in the Basque Country that straddles northern Spain and southwestern France. Bilbao-born Williams has spoken of how his Ghanaian parents crossed the Sahara on foot en route to Spain, with his mother clambering over the perilous border fence separating the Spanish exclave of Melilla from Morocco while pregnant with him. Asked about becoming the club's first black captain after the retirement of Oscar de Marcos and amid rising support for the far right, the Ghana striker told a press conference 'it means a lot'. 'Destiny is destiny. If it were not for my parents, I would not be here, nor Nico,' he said. 'We are lucky to be able to represent many people who come from outside to earn their daily bread, and be a reference... it's important for us.' An immigration debate gripped Spain earlier this month after three nights of violence between far-right groups and residents, many of North African origin, in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco. The far-right Vox party, which has climbed in recent polls, seized on the unrest that erupted after a 68-year-old pensioner in Torre Pacheco told media he was attacked by three men of North African origin. Vox has also proposed the deportation of all irregular migrants, with tens of thousands arriving on Spanish shores every year on boats from Africa. 'It seems that the far right is in fashion. We who have a voice will try to keep working, to continue silencing mouths and keep tearing down barriers,' Williams said. The Williams brothers are set to play a pivotal role in Bilbao's upcoming domestic and Champions League campaigns after Spain forward Nico, 23, turned down reported interest from Barcelona and signed a new long-term contract. - AFP
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
New Athletic captain Williams 'lucky' to represent migrants in Spain
Athletic Bilbao's first ever black captain Inaki Williams expressed pride at representing immigrants in Spain and called out the far right on Tuesday, after rare anti-migrant unrest shocked the country. Williams, 31, and his younger brother Nico are stars of the club which traditionally only fields players born or brought up in the Basque Country that straddles northern Spain and southwestern France. Bilbao-born Williams has spoken of how his Ghanaian parents crossed the Sahara on foot en route to Spain, with his mother clambering over the perilous border fence separating the Spanish exclave of Melilla from Morocco while pregnant with him. Asked about becoming the club's first black captain after the retirement of Oscar de Marcos and amid rising support for the far right, the Ghana striker told a press conference "it means a lot". "Destiny is destiny. If it were not for my parents, I would not be here, nor Nico," he said. "We are lucky to be able to represent many people who come from outside to earn their daily bread, and be a reference... it's important for us." An immigration debate gripped Spain earlier this month after three nights of violence between far-right groups and residents, many of North African origin, in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco. The far-right Vox party, which has climbed in recent polls, seized on the unrest that erupted after a 68-year-old pensioner in Torre Pacheco told media he was attacked by three men of North African origin. Vox has also proposed the deportation of all irregular migrants, with tens of thousands arriving on Spanish shores every year on boats from Africa. "It seems that the far right is in fashion. We who have a voice will try to keep working, to continue silencing mouths and keep tearing down barriers," Williams said. The Williams brothers are set to play a pivotal role in Bilbao's upcoming domestic and Champions League campaigns after Spain forward Nico, 23, turned down reported interest from Barcelona and signed a new long-term contract.
France 24
16 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
New Athletic captain Williams 'lucky' to represent migrants in Spain
Williams, 31, and his younger brother Nico are stars of the club which traditionally only fields players born or brought up in the Basque Country that straddles northern Spain and southwestern France. Bilbao-born Williams has spoken of how his Ghanaian parents crossed the Sahara on foot en route to Spain, with his mother clambering over the perilous border fence separating the Spanish exclave of Melilla from Morocco while pregnant with him. Asked about becoming the club's first black captain after the retirement of Oscar de Marcos and amid rising support for the far right, the Ghana striker told a press conference "it means a lot". "Destiny is destiny. If it were not for my parents, I would not be here, nor Nico," he said. "We are lucky to be able to represent many people who come from outside to earn their daily bread, and be a reference... it's important for us." An immigration debate gripped Spain earlier this month after three nights of violence between far-right groups and residents, many of North African origin, in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco. The far-right Vox party, which has climbed in recent polls, seized on the unrest that erupted after a 68-year-old pensioner in Torre Pacheco told media he was attacked by three men of North African origin. Vox has also proposed the deportation of all irregular migrants, with tens of thousands arriving on Spanish shores every year on boats from Africa. "It seems that the far right is in fashion. We who have a voice will try to keep working, to continue silencing mouths and keep tearing down barriers," Williams said. The Williams brothers are set to play a pivotal role in Bilbao's upcoming domestic and Champions League campaigns after Spain forward Nico, 23, turned down reported interest from Barcelona and signed a new long-term contract.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mercato: Iñaki Williams slams Barça while defending his brother Nico
Iñaki Williams and Nico Iñaki Williams, the older brother of Nico Williams, opened up to the press in recent hours. The Ghana international didn't hold back when it came to FC Barcelona. Initially rumored to be on the verge of joining FC Barcelona at the start of the summer transfer window, Nico Williams ultimately extended his contract with Bilbao until 2035. This news brought a smile to his brother Iñaki's face. The Ghanaian was asked about the situation during a press conference. "On a family level, it's been a bit complicated because there's been a lot of talk about my brother, and much of what has been said about Nico is false. He simply kept silent. Everyone has the right to think about their future. This summer, people have often been unfair to my brother (…) My brother's decision was not easy. His maturity is incredible. He had a wide range of options and he chose Athletic Bilbao. The club is making considerable progress. We have one of the best squads since I was twelve and joined the first team. He had a choice because he received many offers and a lot of clubs made bids for him. He's a top-level player (…) Many clubs made offers for him because he's a high-caliber player and his release clause could have been easily triggered. He was a gift from the heavens for the big clubs. It wasn't easy, because all the external noise could have made him hesitate, but he made the best decision. My brother was quite clear about his decision, but a long-term contract had to be established. Some events happened that caused a lot of harm, like the vandalism of the mural, the breaking of a car window… He made his decision with heart and ambition. He decided to stay with us and leave his legacy here, just like Julen Guerrero did in his time, and to be a role model for his desire to make his mark here.", he explained. The Black Star continued, not sparing Barça, though he never mentioned them by name: "We all know how the football world works and the pressure they wanted to put on all Athletic supporters, on my brother… A media campaign that they probably thought would benefit them. At Athletic, when we want a player, we do it quietly. All this outside noise did a lot of damage and muddied the waters. Because a lot of what was said and leaked to the media or on social networks was false. My brother had made his decision, but a very long contract tying him until 2035 had to be finalized. It couldn't be made public overnight. Some incidents tarnished Athletic's objectives, like the two times the mural was vandalized, or when they went to my brother's place and smashed a car window… Things that are often unknown but weigh on the player and his decisions. It's very easy not to say or do anything when you're sitting on your couch, but when you're suffering personally, it's different. Seeing my brother suffer as Athletic's captain is not easy. Many teams wanted him when he was just 22. He stayed discreet, and I had to stop him several times because I saw things he didn't like. We had lots of calls and video conferences during that period. People at Athletic must understand that it's not easy to make a life-changing decision in such a short time. The decision was his alone. When he steps onto the pitch at San Mamés, he will receive immense affection."
