It has been a frustrating season for Athletic Club and Spain winger Nico Williams who has suffered with pubalgia, but he may have turned a corner
Last summer, after more than a year of nauseating speculation about his future, Nico Williams surprised many by signing a new 10-year contract with Athletic Club, extending his existing commitment to the club by a further eight years. The news and the length of the deal was a clear statement from both club and player.
With his status cemented as one of Athletic’s star players and the rumours about his future firmly put to bed, it was hoped that Nico would go from strength to strength this season and help the Lions build on a campaign where they finished fourth and secured a return to the Champions League for the first time in over a decade.
Indeed, many thought that the prospect of playing in the Champions League for his boyhood club alongside his brother Iñaki, the captain, was a key factor in Nico’s decision to stay. There was a very public pursuit of him from Barcelona, along with strong rumours of interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich, but Nico chose to put family first.
A season scarred by injury
This season, however, Nico only managed three appearances in the Champions League, totalling a mere 187 minutes of action and he was unable to register a goal or assist in the competition. An anti-climax in terms of the narrative, but more so a huge frustration for the player and his manager Ernesto Valverde who saw his injury-depleted squad pushed to the limits across all competitions.
Nico’s problem this campaign has been his battle with pubalgia, also known as a sports hernia. The chronic condition has seen him officially unavailable for 14 matches in 2025/26, while also requiring him to be used sparingly and often rested when available.
The issue first became apparent at the tail end of last season, causing the young forward to miss five of Athletic’s final seven LaLiga games. Hopes for a fresh start this season were ill-founded, however, and it has been a frustrating stop-start campaign where Nico has been unable to gather much momentum.
What is pubalgia?
Pubalgia, which relates to chronic groin pain, is becoming an increasingly common problem amongst young footballers due to the inevitable wear and tear that twisting and kicking movements can cause in the lower abdomen and groin. Longer seasons, fewer rest periods and higher intensity games could all be playing a part in the proliferation of this kind of injury.
The term is likely to already be a familiar one for fans of Spanish football, with recent high-profile examples of players with the condition including Barcelona star and Nico Williams’ international teammate Lamine Yamal. The Blaugrana winger has also had recurring issues with pubalgia this season, causing him to miss five club games in September and October.
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Finally turning the corner
Despite his difficulties this season, Nico Williams has still registered six goals and seven assists in 31 appearances – slightly down on 11 goals and seven assists in 45 games in 2024/25. Last campaign was the first double-digit goal tally of his career.
The 23-year-old’s two late goals against Alavés last Saturday were significant for several reasons. Most importantly, he would say, they meant that Athletic would take all three points home from Gasteiz in a Basque derby they had twice trailed in.
On a personal level, those were Nico’s first goals since January and his longest participation in any game since then as well. Those two well-taken strikes in the final 10 minutes of the game felt like an announcement: Nico Williams is truly back this time.
Great timing for club and country
If this isn’t another false dawn and the younger Williams brother’s injury woes are behind him for the time being at least, then the timing is a huge boost for both club and country. After a largely disappointing season, Athletic have climbed to 8th in LaLiga and are still in with a chance of sneaking into European competition for next season, something Nico would be desperate to have another shot at.
There is also the small matter of this summer’s World Cup which is looming closer and closer. Nico has been unavailable for Spain’s last seven games, but his presence in the World Cup squad would be incredibly positive news for Luis de la Fuente and fans of La Roja.
After his heroics in the Euro 2024 final against England, there would also be a symbolic and psychological importance to Nico being fit and firing this summer.
The lift he could give the national team cannot be underestimated, especially as his fellow winger Lamine Yamal is currently injured and facing a race against the clock to be ready for the World Cup; having both players available could be the difference between Spain being serious contenders or not given their ability to add another dimension to La Roja’s attack and take on defenders in one-on-one situations.
First, though, Athletic have four games left to try to end the season on a high, starting with Valencia at San Mamés on Sunday. Nico Williams playing serious minutes and popping up with a vital contribution would keep his momentum going and when he gets going, he’s hard to stop.