Spain’s Nico Williams expected to be fit for World Cup after injury scare for Athletic Club

Spain forward Nico Williams is set to miss the remainder of the season for Athletic Club but is expected to be fit for the World Cup following an injury scare at the weekend.

Williams, who starred as Spain won the 2024 European Championship, was forced off in the first half of Athletic’s 1-0 home defeat to Valencia on Sunday with a left hamstring issue. The 23-year-old, who was replaced by his brother Inaki, appeared visibly distressed as he walked off the pitch accompanied by medical staff.

But sources close to the winger, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to do so publicly, have told The Athletic that tests have confirmed that the injury is not as bad as first feared, with Williams expected to be sidelined for around three weeks.

That prognosis would rule him out of Athletic’s final three games of the La Liga season – against Espanyol, Celta and Real Madrid – but leave him fit for Spain’s World Cup campaign this summer.

In a statement, Athletic confirmed Williams had suffered a “moderate hamstring strain in his left leg” and would be monitored.

Williams has scored six times and has three assists from 25 appearances in La Liga during an injury-hit campaign. He missed nearly a month of the season with a groin injury from early September before being sidelined for more than seven weeks with a sports hernia from the start of February.

Before the start of the campaign, Williams signed a new 10-year contract with his boyhood club, despite being heavily pursued by Barcelona and also attracting interest from Bayern Munich. Athletic are safely ensconced in mid-table, with little to play for in the run-in.

Spain, the 2010 men’s world champions, are among the favourites for this summer’s tournament in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and begin the group stage against debutants Cape Verde on June 15 – before also facing Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Spain’s next fixture is a warm up match against Peru on June 9.