Reason Why Nico Williams Chose Spain Over Ghana for His International Career
- According to Derek Boateng, the Ghana Football Association was unable to secure Nico Williams for the Black Stars
- The Athletic Bilbao forward was in discussions with the federation but ultimately chose to represent Spain at the senior level
- Williams Jr played a key role in Spain’s triumph at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, even scoring in the final
Former Ghana international Derek Boateng has shed light on how the Black Stars lost out on the chance to have Nico Williams represent them at the senior level.
Despite his Ghanaian heritage, the talented forward chose to play for Spain, following in the footsteps of his international teammates rather than his older brother, Inaki Williams, who opted to represent Ghana.
Source: Getty Images
Williams, born to Ghanaian parents in Bilbao, had the opportunity to play for the Black Stars but ultimately committed to Spain just before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Two years later, he became a key figure for La Roja, helping them secure their fourth European Championship in Germany, where he even scored in the final against England.
The Ghana Football Association made several attempts to convince Williams to choose Ghana, but he ultimately felt more aligned with Spain, where he had developed as a player.
His decision has sparked discussions about the recruitment of dual-nationality players and Ghana’s ability to attract top talents eligible to play for the national team.
Boateng opens up on Williams' decision
According to Boateng, Spain blocked Williams Jr from playing for Ghana before he even made his debut for the European nation.
He told Angel FM, as quoted by Pulse:
“How can we lose players like Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams.
“Inaki is playing for us, but why couldn’t we get Nico? Because he is good and talented, Spain blocked his chances of playing for Ghana.
“We must do a lot more, and we shouldn’t wait until they are grown up and playing before we start talking to them. By then, their parents will not even allow it because we were not there from the beginning, so why now?”
Williams Jr is currently on the radar of Barcelona and Chelsea in the summer transfer window.
Williams Jr makes Euro history
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Nico Williams wrote his name in the history books after scoring in the European Championship final.
The 22-year-old opened the scoring in the Euro 2024 final as Spain defeated England to become champions of Europe for the fourth time.
Williams became the first player of Ghanaian descent to score in the final of the European Championship after netting in the 47th minute against England.
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Source: AFP
