Iñaki Williams is experiencing his most challenging campaign since 2020–2021, with injuries and a dip in form halting his upward trajectory at Athletic Bilbao.
The Ghanaian forward has managed just six goals in La Liga this season, marking a sharp decline from the steady progress he had made in recent years.
After reaching 8 league goals in the 2021–2022 season, 10 in 2022–2023, and 12 last term, the 2024–2025 season has seen Williams struggle to maintain the same level of output.
With only two fixtures left, he has failed to match any of his previous three seasons’ tallies, highlighting a concerning slump in productivity.
His playing time also reflects the downturn.
Williams has clocked 2,617 minutes in the league so far, the lowest amount over the past four years.
This compares to 2,856 minutes in the 2023–2024 season and 2,852 minutes the year before.
Once a symbol of durability and resilience, Williams famously set a La Liga record with 251 consecutive appearances between 2017 and 2023.
However, that streak was broken this season due to a series of physical setbacks.
In November 2024, he suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for nine days—an uncommon occurrence in a career largely free from major injuries.
More unusual still was a surgery he underwent in May 2024 to remove a two-centimetre shard of glass that had remained embedded in his foot for two years.
The discomfort had silently impaired his performance before the issue was finally addressed.
The procedure forced him to miss the final game of last season and may have contributed to his reduced effectiveness during this campaign.
Now 30, Williams finds himself at a pivotal stage in his career.
A product of the Basque club’s academy and a loyal servant to Athletic Bilbao, he was crowned La Liga’s African Player of the Year for the 2023–2024 season—a testament to his previous influence on the pitch.
But this year’s setbacks have left questions about how he can adapt and recover from the physical toll of a demanding career.
As Athletic Bilbao look ahead to the conclusion of the season and begin preparations for the next, much will depend on whether Williams can regain full fitness and recapture the form that made him one of La Liga’s most reliable forwards.
His future, both at club and international level, may hinge on how he responds to what has been a testing chapter in an otherwise resilient career.
