He was born in Bilbao, grew up in Bilbao, started playing football in Bilbao and spent his entire career in Bilbao. He also played for the Spanish national team, but today he decided that there is another country and national team in his life.As of today, Inaki Williams has made himself available to the Ghana national team and will be happy to respond to the call of the coach of the Black Stars.The African-rooted Spaniard did not want to wait any longer for the call of Luis Enrique and will play for the country of his ancestors.🇬🇭 | IT’S ABOUT TIME – Welcome to the Black Stars, Iñaki Williams @Williaaams45 #BlackStars | #BringBackTheLove pic.twitter.com/hFoq9bBm1I— Black Stars 🇬🇭 (@GhanaBlackstars) July 5, 2022 Father Felix and mother Maria were born in Ghana, from which they emigrated. They crossed the Sahara desert literally on foot and reached the Spanish enclave of Melilla in the north of Morocco. Maria was pregnant at that moment and was carrying Inaki. They managed to jump over the fence, an insurmountable obstacle for many, and reach Spain, even though Felix was arrested on that occasion. A well-intentioned lawyer advised them to say they were from war-torn Liberia to get asylum. So they did…My parents walked across Sahara barefoot while my mom was pregnant I could fulfil my destinyInaki was born in the Basque Country, in Bilbao, where the family settled. He was named after a local from the Red Cross who helped the family a lot. He started playing football with ‘the pride of the Basque Country’ – Athletic Bilbao. Although dark-skinned, he met the famous requirements to play for Athletic Bilbao. The color of the skin is not important, but the origin or the place of birth and upbringing. And according to that, Inaki Williams was 100 percent Basque.##NAJAVA_MECA_6490119##He entered the first team under Ernesto Valverde, became the first dark-skinned scorer in the 117-year-long history of the famous club, and soon became the absolute record holder of Spanish football as a player who played 203 consecutive matches in Primera Division. This streak has been going on for six and a half years now.He made his debut for the Spanish national team under Vincente Del Bosque in 2016 in a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. And he never played again… National team coaches changed, but Inaki was not in their plans. He received a call from the Ghanaian football federation last year but refused to change his allegiance.##NAJAVA_MECA_6490127##”My parents are from Ghana and I really like going there. But I was not born there, nor did I grow up there. My roots are here, in Spain, and there are certainly players for whom playing for Ghana would mean more. I don’t think it would be right for me to take the place of someone who deserves a call and feels Ghana as his own 100 percent”, said Williams at the time.A year later, he changed his mind – he will accept the invitation of coach Otto Addo. Williams is expected to be named in the Ghana squad for the World Cup in Qatar, with Black Stars facing Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay in the group stage.Williams announced on his social media pages on Tuesday, sharing a video in which he stated that he will defend the Ghana shirt.🇬🇭🖤 @ghanafaofficial pic.twitter.com/t5cSzOcIfB— IÑAKI WILLIAMS (@Williaaams45) July 5, 2022 “Every step we take forward has its own meaning. An evolution. A glance into the future which leaves a trace itself. A legacy. My parents have raised me with values based on humility, respect and love,” he said.”They have taught me to embrace life. In that constant quest to continue growing and working upon the pursuit of evolving personally and professionally as an individual.””That’s why I feel the moment has come for me to find my origins within myself and with Africa and Ghana which means so much to me and my family. I want to return a small part of everything it has given to us because Ghana has played a significant part of becoming who I am as a person, as a son and as a brother.””Today a new challenge begins. From now on, I will defend Ghana’s T-shirt with all my will whilst I give my best. I’m one of the Black Stars.”Williams’ younger brother Nico , who also plays for Athletic Bilbao, has yet to commit to playing for Ghana. The attacker is a member of Spain’s U-21 national team.
