Nico Williams gets royal assent after dynamic display shows Spain’s future

Nico Williams fights for the ball with Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Federico Chiesa during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Italy at the Arena AufSchalke. Photograpg: by Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty ImagesWhen Nico Williams turns up, everything changes, except him. At the end of Spain ’s 1-0 destruction of Italy on Thursday night – and, yes, there is such a thing as a 1-0 destruction – King Felipe VI made his way down to the dressingroom to congratulate them.

That first run had produced the first of so many clear chances that should have been so many goals. Another created what was somehow the only goal, scored for Spain by Riccardo Calafiori. Then there was the moment when he came inside and smashed the crossbar, the only opponent that could stop him. It had been, he said, an “incredible” game, his best for the national team, everybody blown away.

When Nico was a kid, he would go there with Iñaki. He likes to tell the story of one day there when he was 10 and his older brother 18. That day Nico, warned that it wouldn’t be the same with the big kids, tore them apart too. Now they are team-mates at Athletic Club, winners of the club’s first major trophy in 40 years, a success built on talent and effort, love too. After the Italy game, the first message he listened to was from Iñaki.

Iñaki Williams celebrates with Nico Williams after scoring their team's first goal during the LaLiga Santander match between Cadiz CF and Athletic Club. Photograph: Fran Santiago/Getty Images He would get his brother up in the morning, make his breakfast, prepare his clothes and take him to school. In the afternoon, he would be back to pick him up, bringing a sandwich. He would take him to training and to the park. Nico has a tattoo of a lion with its cub; the lion is Iñaki, the cub is him.

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