Iron Man streak in jeopardy. Bilbao's Williams might miss first league game in six years
Williams has never played for another team and has been one of the indispensable parts of the Basque club for several years. He has scored an impressive 76 goals during his time at Bilbao, which puts him 19th in the club's historic charts. Although he has long been on the radar of Europe's big clubs, unlike his predecessors such as Fernando Llorente, Kepa, Ander Herrera and Javi Martinez, he has never left Athletic.
The label of iron man belongs to him rightfully. Few footballers play all the games in a season, let alone six campaigns in a row. The streak is therefore particularly remarkable for Williams, who starts as a striker and has to fend off tough tackles from defenders.
"Doctors and physiotherapists don't get it. They tell me there's no way I can be real. Especially in football nowadays, when matches are played at high intensity every three days. I thank my parents for my genes. I don't know what it is exactly, but there's something in me," Williams smiles.
Sepp Maier holds the longest iron man streak in the top five European leagues. The former Bayern Munich and German national team goalkeeper started an incredible 442 games in a row in the Bayern line-up. For 13 long years (1966-79) he never let anyone else in goal!
Now, however, Inaki Williams' long string of games is in jeopardy. Monday's 3rd round LaLiga match started brilliantly for him when he scored in the 24th minute to send his team into the lead for the first time this season. But then he missed a penalty and had to be substituted early in the second half due to a right ankle injury. It seemed to be no trivial matter.
He had to keep his streak alive a couple of times despite painful injuries before. "I have played under pills and sedative injections. In two seasons I had four yellow cards a few games before the end of the season, a fifth would have meant a penalty in the form of a missed game," he explains.
Whether football's "Ironman" lives up to his nickname and extends his streak, or whether injuries will not allow him to continue, will be clear no later than Sunday, when Athletic take on Espanyol at home.
