Spain’s success right now is synonymous with Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, with La Roja enjoying the benefits of the two wingers’ fast-paced football, which is tearing apart defences. Aged just 16 and 21, they have been praised all over the world for the way they’ve been playing at the current European Championship. In their most recent game, when Spain overcame Georgia 4-1 to set up a quarter-final against hosts Germany in Stuttgart, inverted right winger Lamine Yamal broke down the Georgian defence and created numerous chances, while Williams assisted one goal and scored one of his own in the 75th minute. That made Williams the only player in European Championship history to score a goal, assist another and complete 100% of his passes (46/46) in a match in which he started, according to OptaStats.
Thanks to their displays, these two youngsters have made headlines all around the world. For example, German publication Spiegel Online labelled them as “Spain’s answer to Germany’s attacking duo of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz”. Elsewhere in the German media, there is some trepidation about having to come up against the Spanish duo. As Bild put it: “Before the start of the tournament, Spain didn’t have particularly high hopes. Yet, following the group stage and the great win against Georgia, Spain are the number one favourites.” Bild went on to praise the FC Barcelona and Athletic Club players, describing them as “dribbling prodigies” and “super sprinters” respectively. Their understanding and their friendship is coming to the fore in each of their national team’s matches, which has been a breath of fresh air for this squad which can practise the traditional Spanish style of play, with passing and possession in midfield, at the same time as enjoying the skills of the deadly duo on the wings.
Nico Williams has been highly regarded since his days in the CA Osasuna academy at Tajonar back in 2012, when he already looked like he had the potential to become a top winger. Iñaki Williams, his brother and current Athletic Club teammate, did not hesitate to reunite the family in Bilbao in 2013 and now Nico Williams is the most valuable player in LALIGA EA SPORTS if excluding Real Madrid or FC Barcelona players, while he is the 13th-most valuable with them. The good news for Athletic Club is he has a contract there until June 30th 2027.
The future is now and Lamine Yamal is keen to break record after record. The player who emerged from La Masia and who has signed his first professional contract is the youngest player in FC Barcelona history to feature in a LALIGA EA SPORTS match, at 15 years and 290 days, surpassing Haruna Babaginda and Ansu Fati. He was called up for the first time on Matchday 30 of the 2022/23 LALIGA EA SPORTS season against Atlético de Madrid, before he then made his debut two matchdays later against Real Betis. Having committed to FC Barcelona until June 30th 2026, he is a player who Barça don’t want to let go of and who is set to dazzle in LALIGA EA SPORTS in 2024/25. Both youngsters are continuing to hone their skills in Spanish football’s top flight, but they’re already looking like two geniuses who’ll define a new footballing generation.
