Bad news for Spain’s national team: they might have to do without Nico Williams at the 2026 World Cup.
The Athletic Bilbao winger picked up an injury during the first half of the match against Valencia. It’s not yet clear when he’ll return, but the timing is alarming – just one month before the tournament of his dreams.
Nico kept repeating, “This can’t be happening.” He had been struggling with pubalgia and hadn’t fully recovered – now it seems he’s hurt his thigh.
The injury occurred in the 36th minute as Williams grabbed the back of his thigh. He was battling for the ball with Renzo Saravia when he suddenly felt discomfort, even though there was no heavy contact.
A stunned Williams sat on the grass, clutching his leg, then left the field while repeating, “This can’t be happening.”
The winger desperately wanted to play in the 2026 World Cup, which is why he turned down surgery in January – despite long-standing groin issues and ongoing struggles with pubalgia. Had he agreed to the operation, he would have been sidelined for the rest of the season with a clear risk of missing the World Cup. That was something he absolutely wanted to avoid, so he opted for conservative treatment instead – though it’s no longer proving effective.
It remains unclear whether this latest injury is linked to the pubalgia, but the main concern is that his gamble on his health may prove to be in vain.
After this setback, the entire Athletic Bilbao squad felt downhearted. His brother Inaki Williams replaced him, but it didn’t go well – they ended up losing to Valencia, failing to respond to Umar Sadiq’s goal in the 72nd minute.
This season has been a sad story for both Nico and Athletic Bilbao. They could slip into the second half of the table.
This is already Williams’ fourth injury of the season – the previous three kept him out for nearly three months combined. After the January news about his pubalgia, he missed most of February and all of March.
As a result, he’s only played 2,101 minutes by mid-May. Still, his 6 goals and 3 assists in La Liga place him second in the team behind Gorka Guruzeta (9+3). He also ranks fifth in successful dribbles in the league – not bad considering he’s only played 25 games.
The team’s season has also been disjointed: 29th in the Champions League group stage (where Nico only managed three appearances out of eight), and ninth in La Liga.
They have no chance of returning to the Champions League, even though Spain will have five spots next season. At best, the Basques could qualify for the Europa League – but even that would require a lot of luck. Worse still, they could drop into the relegation zone, as they’re still not safe after 35 rounds. La Liga is incredibly tight: just eight points separate 7th place from 19th.
Athletic Bilbao has already announced that Ernesto Valverde will leave this summer, with a rebuild under Edin Terzic planned for next season. Nico has a contract until 2035 – he might even witness a new great era for the club. But for now, his only focus is on recovering in time for the 2026 World Cup.
It’s been eight months since Nico last played for Spain. Others can step in.
Williams’ last appearance for Spain was on September 7, when the team beat Turkey 6-0 away – Nico provided one of the assists. Since then, he hasn’t even made the squad: in October and March due to injuries, and in November simply because of poor form.
Luis de la Fuente is a big fan of the winger. Nico shone during the victorious Euro 2024 campaign, even scoring in the final. The Spanish wingers – he and close friend Lamine Yamal – were dazzling.
In World Cup qualifying, the coach has been trying out Ander Barrenetxea (Real Sociedad), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), and even Yeremy Pino (Crystal Palace) in attack. Other options include Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo, who can also play out wide if needed. De la Fuente has also tested them – clearly, given Williams’ recent injury issues, he’s been developing more reliable alternatives.
Two years after Euro 2024, Lamine Yamal’s status has only grown, but Nico Williams is no longer the same player. Now the question is whether he can even make it to the World Cup, and whether his body will allow it.