Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams has disclosed the reasons underpinning his decision to play for the Spanish national team instead of Ghana.
Williams says whiles there is some love for Ghana, he identifies more as a Spaniard from the Basque region of the European country.
Born and having spent all his life in the European country, Inaki Williams thinks opting to play for Ghana over Spain would be a betrayal of his culture and his upbringing.
Inaki confesses to speaking good Twi and enjoying Ghanaian dishes but those are not enough to make him feel more Ghanaian than Spanish.
“I’m grateful to where I grew and became who I am. Ghana tried to convince me, but I was born in Spain, in Bilbao. I won’t ever forget my family roots, but I feel Basque and can’t con anyone. I would be comfortable with Ghana, I’m sure, but I shouldn’t be there …
“And my mum knows how people love football there: it’s quite something, and she’d be worried about me.
“When my mum’s angry, she swears at us in Ghanaian but we speak Spanish. When my parents came, it was English but we lost that. I could have a conversation in English but it’s not fluent now. When my grandparents call, I speak to them in Twi. I admire and love Ghana, the culture, food, tradition.
“My parents are from Accra and I really enjoy going there. But I wasn’t born or raised there, my culture’s here, and there are players for whom it would mean more. I don’t think it would be right to take the place of someone who really deserves to go and who feels Ghana 100%.”
Inaki Williams is still eligible to play for Ghana, having been capped once by the Spanish national team.
Despite being a consistent performer for Athletic Bilbao, Inaki Williams has constantly been overlooked by the coaches but that has done his love for Spain no damage.
He remains hopeful that a time will come when he will have consistent caps for the Spanish national team.
Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams