Representing the national team is not only about winning glory for the country, but also about bearing the honor of predecessors, the dreams of millions of fans, and the love and responsibility for loved ones. Neco Williams plays for Wales precisely to fight for his family.
Read Also...:
World Athletics Indoor Championships 2025: Who is competing, how to watch & key timings
03-21, 2025
Bulgaria 1-2 Republic of Ireland: Republic can do 'a little better' after Bulgaria win - Hallgrimsson
03-21, 2025
Emma Raducanu: Vladimir Platenik coach partnership ended over 'stress and pressure'
03-21, 2025
Salford beat Giants for first Super League win
03-21, 2025During his time in the Liverpool youth academy, Williams' parents and grandfather drove him from North Wales to training. Without their support, the 23-year-old would not have become the Premier League full-back he is today, playing for Nottingham Forest and challenging for a Champions League spot.
Williams is also a shining star for Wales. In more than five years with the national team, he has made 44 appearances for the squad. In November 2022, just one day before Wales' first match at the World Cup in Qatar, Williams learned of the passing of his grandfather, Kelvin Jones.
"My grandfather played a significant role in my football career. He passed away the day before the game, which was probably one of the toughest moments in my football career," Williams said. "I lost someone very close to me who helped me a lot. He often took me to training, came to watch my games, and gave me a lot of advice."
"Then, the next day, I had the most important game of my career. That was obviously a difficult time. But if he were still alive, he would have told me, 'You have to play.' No matter what, you have to play. So I had to do it." After the match, Williams shed tears, pointing to the sky to pay tribute to his grandfather. His grandfather would have been proud of his performance in the 1-1 draw against the United States.
To commemorate that moment, the full-back added a tattoo to his hand, adding the date of the match next to the existing word "blessed." Since then, he has added another memento. "I had a ring made with his name on it," Williams explained. "It's kept with the medals I've won in my career. Whenever I come home and see my medals and trophies, it always reminds me that I couldn't have achieved what I have without him."
"He was more than just my grandfather; he played a very important role. He and my parents took turns driving me to training four times a week. And it was a long journey, to Liverpool, an hour each way," Williams continued. "They all made sacrifices, and I wouldn't be here without them."
Time can ease the pain of grief, but it can also bring another kind of pain. The longer you lose a loved one, the longer you live without them. As life goes on, their presence gradually fades. Williams wishes his grandfather could be with him to witness Wales' 2026 World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at home this Saturday.
When that person is gone, everything is different. But as Williams has shown, you can carry a part of them with you and always remember them. "I'm not just fighting for my grandfather, I'm fighting for my family," Williams said. "They made a lot of sacrifices to make my dreams come true. Essentially, everything I do is for them."
"It's not just me who makes sacrifices. As a young man, I left home, lived in a boarding house, and rarely had time to see friends from my hometown. Often, the sacrifices made by players' families go unnoticed. They play a huge role in a player's career, and I can guarantee that most of the players on our team wouldn't be here, or playing for their current clubs, without the help of their families." Williams concluded, "I am very grateful for everything they have done for me."
