Athletic Bilbao captain Iñaki Williams faced relentless jeers from Saudi fans during their 5-0 Spanish Super Cup semifinal loss to Barcelona in Jeddah.
The Ghana international had drawn attention before the match by openly criticizing the decision to stage the tournament in Saudi Arabia.
“For me, playing in Saudi Arabia is rubbish, to put it bluntly,” he said. “Having to move a national competition to another country doesn’t make it easier for the fans to travel. Based on our fan base, it feels like we’re playing away from home, and if it were in Spain, we all know how many fans would be there to support us.”
The comments appeared to provoke the local crowd, who greeted Williams with loud boos from the very first minute.
Even during warm-ups, the striker was met with jeers, setting a hostile atmosphere at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Throughout the match, every touch and run by Williams drew negative reactions from the Saudi spectators.
The constant boos left him under pressure from the stands, creating an environment that offered no respite for the Athletic captain.
The incident highlighted the risks of relocating competitions abroad, where players can face unfamiliar and sometimes unfriendly crowds.
Despite the hostility, Williams continued to play, but could not prevent Barcelona from dominating the match, leaving the Ghanaian and his teammates with a heavy defeat in a challenging setting.
