Nico Williams claims his ‘parents would have heart attack’ if Ghana faces Spain at World Cup

Athletic Club winger Nico Williams has revealed that a potential World Cup showdown against his older brother, Inaki, would likely cause their parents to have a “heart attack” due to the conflicting loyalties.

While the brothers are teammates at the club level in La Liga, they represent different national teams on the international stage, with Nico playing for Spain and Inaki for Ghana.

His older brother switched nationality to Ghana ahead of the 2022 World Cup and featured in the Qatar tournament.

Speaking about the possibility of facing his sibling during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the 23-year-old expressed a mix of excitement and concern for his family’s stress levels.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to meet at some point, but I would like to play against my brother – him for Ghana and me for Spain,” Nico told FourFourTwo.

“It would be a very nice duel – I think my parents would have a heart attack because they wouldn’t know who to go with!”

The path to such a family reunion remains difficult, as the two nations have been placed in separate groups for the tournament.

Spain headlines Group H alongside Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, and Cape Verde. Meanwhile, Iñaki’s Ghana faces a daunting challenge in Group L, where they will compete against England, Croatia, and Panama.

For the brothers to meet, both teams would need to navigate their respective groups and potentially cross paths in the knockout stages.

Despite the emotional toll on his parents, Nico remains fiercely competitive. While he joked about his brother’s scoring prowess, he insisted that Spain would come out on top if the two nations ever collided.

“I hope I can play against him and win, although he’s going to score five goals if we do meet each other,” he said.

“My brother knows all about the team we have – Ghana are also a good team. I hope we can cross paths – if we do, we’ll win, for sure!”

Nico, who has earned 30 international caps for Spain, has become a cornerstone of the national team following his breakout performance at Euro 2024.