Iñaki from Bilbao

A young African couple (María and Félix) met in Ghana, with little hope of a future together in their home country. There was no optimism in the home they once knew. In the year 1993, they would turn to Europe in search of a better life. Taking the risk, they would leave Accra in the hope of reaching the Spanish territory of Melilla, walking some 5,000km, through the Sahara and with María carrying child. In Morocco they would reach the border with Europe. Not many who made the journey with them would reach this stage. With the courage of those they had lost, they jumped the fence into a new life. Alas, the police would soon detain them. Whilst here, they were legally advised to say that they were fleeing conflict in Liberia as asylum seekers. It was the last and only hope for their baby. It had worked. They would soon reach Bilbao via Málaga and Madrid. At last, their journey had come to an end.

Source: bola.com

On 15th June 1994, a baby was born out of a seemingly hopeless situation. His name was Iñaki Williams Arthuer and he had unknowingly entered life in a tumultuous situation. El País Vasco (The Basque Country) is a beautiful autonomous community that is known for its proud heritage, own language and vast amount of greenery. His parents had succeeded in reaching safety for their son. They would have international workers to thank for helping them find accommodation and get legal help to secure their position. Heaping praise on a man called, Iñaki Mardones (centre of the image below), a priest from Bilbao, for his hard work and effort that he put into the family. In his honour, María and Félix would ask Mardones to become their first child's godfather. They would even name their son the same in the hope that he too would grow to be a good man. A man from the Basque Country of Spain. Unlike many from his surroundings, it is something that defines his career- unique. As unique as the community in which he was born.

Source: haberturk.com

Iñaki in the early years

From a young age, Iñaki fell in love with the beautiful game. He would begin playing for the youth set-up of Pamplona in the lower leagues of Spanish football. This came about after his family moved here from Bilbao so his father could find work. Pamplona being in the Navarre autonomous community, which neighbours El País Vasco. In 2002, his little brother, Nicholas, was born. Then, in 2006, at the age of 12, Iñaki had decided that he would do what he could to help provide for his family after seeing their struggle. By 14 he was working as a part time árbitro (referee) to support them, as his father had left Spain for England in search of better paid work. It was not easy, but testing times make tough people and Iñaki was as tough as it gets. After a glistening time at Pamplona, he was picked up by Athletic Bilbao in 2012. It was time for Iñaki to go home. He would immediately join up with the Juvenil A (youth team A) and have his talent nurtured in the state-of-the-art facilities at their Lezama training ground. One of the most admirable things about Athletic Bilbao is their transfer policy to sign and use players exclusively from the Basque Country- as I said earlier, it's a unique place. Basque born Iñaki was the perfect match for the club. In his first season at the youth team he was absolutely lethal, el goleador (the goalscorer), would end up marcando (scoring) 36 goals for the side. Now it was time to see if he could cut it with the adults. A loan move to the Cuarta División (Fourth Division) with Basconia was his new battleground where he would sharpen his tools.

Source: aboutbasquecountry.eus

How else was it going to go for Iñaki in this latest test. He set the league alight with 7 goals in 18 appearances. He was too good. As a result he was soon recalled and sent out to Bilbao Athletic, Los Leones' (The Lions, aka Athletic Bilbao) reserve team. He spent the 2014/15 season between this team and the first team setup. Bilbao Athletic were in la Segunda (Second Division) and, as Iñaki was starting to become known for, he rose to the challenge. Totting up 11 goals in 15 games, he was just getting better and better. More importantly to Iñaki, he was making his parents proud. In an exciting academy that consisted of Kepa Arrizabalaga (now of Chelsea), Yeray Álvarez and Álex Remiro, Iñaki was standing out for all the right reasons. Then, in December 2014, the first team striker and club-legend, Aritz Adruiz, got injured and paved the way for Iñaki's big break. With the trust of the then coach, Ernesto Valverde, he made his debut for his boyhood club on 6th December 2014 in a 1-0 loss to Córdoba. Then, 2 months later, in February 2015, he achieved his sueño (dream) as he scored his first club goal in an away game against Torino in the Europa League. I'm sure he'd be the first to agree it was not the tidiest of finishes but his account was well and truly open for his club. He was the first ever black player to score for Athletic Bilbao and ensured that he would never be forgotten by the record books.

Certified Basque-man (Bagsman)

Iñaki ended the 2014/15 campaign with 19 appearances and just the one goal in the league. In a season where he predicted to spend it all with the reserves, he did just fine. In fact, he did better than that, as he got on the score sheet in Bilbao's Copa del Rey final 3-1 defeat to Barcelona. He was unfortunate to get injured and miss the club's Supercopa de España win against the same opponents three months later, which acted as a curtain raiser for the season that followed. He had a taste for what it meant to represent and score for his club. Now that he had got his foot in the door, he was ready to kick on. In the 2015/16 season he managed 26 games and 8 goals- a much better return. He was scoring braces and absolutely flying. During the middle of the season, a host of top Premier League sides were sounding out Bilbao over a potential move. The club had seen how the local fans had taken to him, as seen with his new nickname, La Pantera (The Panther). This, along with the performances he was putting out weekly meant that it was time for a new contract. He signed an agreement until 2021 and the club slapped a €50 million clásula de rescisión (buyout clause) to ward off any interest. During this same season he scored a worldie against RCD Espanyol. A lofted pass arrives behind him, he twists and flicks it over his head into the box. Spinning back, face to goal, he then beats the defenders to the ball. In a split second he sets himself, lets the ball fall and then volleys it as it flashes past the keeper to the top left. It is sensational. The commentator can only muster "madre mía, que golazo" (oh my word, what a goal) and I can add more to that, it was silly.

The following season (2016/17) was less fruitful for the club as they fell two places and reached a 7th place finish in La Liga. Iñaki managed just 5 goals from 38 matches, it was a learning curve for the young delantero (striker). Now, an established figure in the side, he was offered another new contract in the 2017/18 season, this one would take him to 2025 and his new release clause was a stunning €80 million. In this season he would again feature in all 38 league games and manage 7 goals. Unfortunately for our Iñaki, he could not end his home goal-drought that began way back in December 2016. Yet, he was reliable and dug out the team away from home when it truly mattered. This home drought lasted until January 2019, when he finally broke the curse in his 100th consecutive appearance. This made him only the fifth player in the club's history to achieve this landmark. On his big day, he scored a brace at the San Mamés (Bilbao's home stadium) against Sevilla. His first is not the kind you expect to see from a man in a barren spell at his home stadium. He races onto a through ball, cuts in and smashes it- postage stamp. The second is out of this world and was voted by Spanish paper, Marca, as goal of the season and rightly so. Receiving the ball in his own half, he has to improvise. Opting for a flick, he ramps it over the pressing opponent. He latches onto it, beating two players to it. Then, he runs and runs. The Sevilla keeper has lost his head and charges out- when will they learn. La Pantera skips passed him and casually slides it into an open net. Increíble (Incredible).

In the 2018/19 season, Iñaki finishes pichichi (top scorer) for Bilbao and they finish on a much improved 8th place, 8 places higher than the dismal season prior. Then, in the 2019/20 season, he once again appears 38 times in the league. He is there for it all, game after game, season after season. Where others hide, he stands tall. He lives for this club. In August 2019 he signed a nine year extension to his contract, which would see him through til he was 34 years of age. On top of this, he had an improved €135 million release clause (if you haven't already noted, it is very common for Spanish clubs to whack on a release clause- quite smart if you ask me). To repay the trust, Iñaki stars in a derby win against Basque rivals, Real Sociedad, in the same month as his new contract. A rivalry born between the two cities of Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastián. He scores (of course) in a 2-0 win, the crowds reaction after he opens the scoring is sheer ecstasy- how the beautiful game misses this once familiar sight. Also, this game marked Iñaki's 122nd consecutive game, which is a league record for any outfield player this century. This record would go onto beat that of legend, Alfredo Di Stéfano, when he reached 172 games on 22nd December 2020.

The Panther and the cup

In the weird world of COVID-19, there was a delay to the would-be Copa del Rey final between Bilbao and Real Sociedad, an all Basque final. Rightly so, the consensus in Spain was to wait for restrictions to lift before this memorable match could take place, which was scheduled for summer 2020. In Spain it is custom for the league winners to face the winner of the Copa del Rey in the Supercopa. However, with no cup winner for last season, they had to improvise for the 2020-21 Super Cup Final and how a fair match could be made. It was decided that League winners for the season prior, Real Madrid, and runners up, Barcelona, would face the two finalists of the cup in a last 4 knock-out. In the first game in January 2021, Barcelona knocked out Real Sociedad on penalties; their place in the final booked. Then in a surprising manner, Athletic Bilbao beat Real Madrid 2-1 thanks to a brace from Raúl García. So far so good.

Then, on 17th January 2021, just three days after their semi-final heroics, Bilbao would have to travel to Sevilla for their chance at cup glory. Kick off. The first half began slowly, with Raúl García testing Ter Stegen. Then, on 40' minute, Antoine Griezmann put Barcelona ahead rounding off a great move. Immediately after, on 42' minute, La Pantera collects the ball on the edge of the box and lofts a beautiful cross into the path of De Marcos who taps in. 1-1. The second half starts with a Messi warning shot from a free kick, then Bilbao have a goal chalked off at the other end- bloody VAR. Heartbreak on 77' minute as Griezmann again puts away a tidy finish to make it 2-1, is this it? Time races and all of a sudden its the 90' minute. A free kick from outside the box, a chance. Floated in and... Villalibre stabs his effort home, no need for video assistance this time round. Just enough to force extra time. 93' minute, Iñaki collects the ball in the same spot where he assisted from all that time ago. This time, he's got something else in mind. He cuts right, sets his sight. Wow. His curling effort finds the top right corner, in off the post. He does not know where to turn, jaw-dropped and he clutches the badge on his shirt- the boy done good. La Pantera had won them the cup, the stuff of dreams. Pura emoción. Villalibre whacks out his trumpet after the final whistle, the whole of El País Vasco is smiling. Bilbao's favourite son, the same hero, the same Iñaki.

A story about our Iñaki came out after the final. A woman and Athletic Bilbao fan named Marta, took to twitter to thank him for his kind acts a few years back. She wrote: "In the midst of all this celebration I want to dedicate a few words to you, even though you probably don't remember me. I am that girl who lost her mother to cancer in 2018, my mum supported you (Iñaki) like I had never seen her do with another footballer. She never doubted you. I am that girl who reached out to anyone who would listen, to cheer my mum up with a video whilst she was in hospital and you listened, you sent me a shirt signed by the whole team for my mum. To give her strength, along with some precious messages. And, although we lost her before she received your gifts, I am more than sure that she is now in a better place celebrating this victory, celebrating your goal." What a man he is. A club icon and man of the people.

Regional pride, national shame

As much as he is loved by the Bilbao fans, there are a few cases across Spain in which people are less empathetic towards Spanish people like Iñaki. As is sadly the case, when it is going well for an ethnic minority of different heritage, they are Spanish. When it is not, as in the case for Iñaki, he is Ghanaian. This, along with the racist abuse he has received at away games, especially when playing away at RCD Espanyol, he has had to toughen himself and silence the bigots with his ability. After his cup final heroics earlier this year, he sat down to talk about being a black player, son of immigrants, and growing up in the Basque Country of Spain. One of his interviews with La Vanguardia, describes him as "Piel de pantera, corazón de león" (panther skin, lion heart). Iñaki mentions his love for Bilbao, the club and the city. For how they treat footballers there, how they see him as any other Spaniard and how they helped him as well as his family- he could not be more grateful. That is the Basque Country for you, a community like no other. When asked about what he would say to people in Spain before they judge an immigrant not yet with papers, he said- "I would ask that they had empathy, that is the word. No one leaves their home and family to risk their life to come here on holiday... If there was more empathy, society would be much better." In another interview with LaSexta, he talks of the racial injustice he sees daily in Spain. Mentioning how his mother recently looked around an apartment and the estate agents said that she would not be able to afford nor fit-in with this area. Que desgracia (what a disgrace). Iñaki then says, when they found out who her son was they treated her with long over-due respect and even upped the prices. He recalls with ironic laughter that leaves a sombre tone. Despite the hardship he has faced and people like him face, one thing is for sure, Iñaki Williams, La Pantera, is Basque through and through. As we already mentioned, he was the first black player to score for his boyhood club and he won't stop breaking Spanish records any time soon.

Source: Reuters.com