Will Athletic Club’s unwritten rule bind Nico Williams to team?

Eleven players from Basque Country — an autonomous community in northern Spain — started for Athletic in a 1-1 tie against Getafe. It is unprecedented for a club to have this many starters from its home region, but for Athletic, it speaks to an unwritten rule that is over a century old. 

Athletic Club endeavors to only sign players who are born or brought up in Basque Country, with many of them coming through its own academy. Williams, 22, is the latest young star to rise to prominence via the academy, making his first team and LaLiga debut in April 2021. This summer, a number of teams hoped to whisk him away from the Basque club, according to multiple reports. 

Athletic’s signing policy fosters a unique connection between the fans and players, who have grown in the culture of the region. Many other clubs rely on foreign players to remain at the top of European soccer. Athletic Club is the third-most successful Spanish outfit, though, behind only Real Madrid and Barcelona. Those three are the only clubs to play top-flight Spanish soccer every season since the league’s inception in 1929. 

Williams helped Athletic win its 25th Copa del Rey last season, with the club qualifying to play in European competition for the first time since the 2017-18 season. Athletic is doing everything it can to keep Williams, who signed a new deal at the end of last season through 2027, per ESPN. 

The club also gave him the coveted No. 10 jersey for this season, previously worn by former captain and club legend Iker Muniain. 

Williams still has time to move away from Athletic before the transfer window ends, but the opportunity to play in the UEFA Europa League with his older brother, Inaki Williams, for the first time may be enough to convince him to stay home. 

According to multiple reports, the elder Williams is among those pressuring his younger brother to stay.

Inaki broke into Athletic’s first team in 2014 and became the club’s first Black goal-scorer in 2015. Despite having opportunities to move on from the club throughout his career, he has chosen to remain loyal. 

For his part, Nico has until Aug. 30 (the end of the LaLiga transfer window) to make his decision, but Athletic Club’s management and the fans are making it known that he is wanted in Basque Country.