African footballers. Inaki Williams wins LaLiga Award. Ghanaian player Inaki Williams has won the 2023/24 LaLiga African Player of the Season award, taking over from Nigerian player Samuel Chukwueze.
Chukwueze had a great season with Villarreal last year, scoring 13 goals and making eleven assists in 50 games, helping them finish fifth in LaLiga. Due to his performances, he won the LaLiga African Player of the Season award. However, after his successful season, Chukwueze moved to AC Milan.
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Last weekend, the final games of the LaLiga season were played, and Williams was named the new LaLiga African Player of the Season. He received the award at the Estadio San Mames on Monday. Williams had a good season with Athletic Bilbao, scoring 12 goals and making three assists in 34 games.
Williams’s form is good news for Ghana as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month. The Black Stars will travel to Mali for a crucial World Cup qualifier on June 6 before hosting the Central African Republic (CAR) four days later at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Williams changed his nationality to Ghana two years ago and has played 17 games for the Black Stars since then. He also played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Interestingly, he plays on the same team as his younger brother Nico Williams, who plays for Spain.
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More about Inaki Williams
Iñaki Williams Arthuer (born 15 June 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Athletic Bilbao and the Ghana national team.
Developed at Athletic Bilbao’s academy, he has made over 400 first-team appearances for the club, including a La Liga record of 251 consecutive games. He scored the winning goal of the 2020–21 Supercopa de España and also won the 2023–24 Copa del Rey.
Born in Spain to Ghanaian parents, Williams made his full debut for the Spain national team in 2016. In 2022, he chose to represent Ghana at the international level, being selected for the 2022 World Cup as well as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. His younger brother Nico also plays for Athletic Bilbao and for Spain.