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Ghana forward Inaki Williams has once again made headlines by being named the 2024/25 SPORTY LALIGA MVP, making him the first-ever player to win the award two years in a row.
The announcement was made on Africa Day, 25 May 2025, during a special event held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Williams, who was born in Bilbao but plays for Ghana, has had another brilliant season with Athletic Club, helping them qualify for the Champions League for the first time in ten years.
He was chosen as the best African player in Spain’s top league, beating Villarreal’s Senegalese midfielder Pape Gueye (12%) and Osasuna’s Cameroonian defender Flavien Enzo Boyomo (10%).
Williams came out on top with 32% of the total votes, which were collected from football journalists across Africa and fans who voted online.
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Speaking after receiving the award, Williams said:
LALIGA has always had African players or players with African heritage, and it’s a real honour to be able to represent our roots in this way, to make us seen in a league that’s so special and has always had such a huge following. It’s a beautiful thing for young people across Africa, a continent where football has always been a big part of life, to be able to see their role models succeed.
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He added:
An award like this always means you're doing things right. I'm so happy and proud that I’ve won it two years in a row… hopefully, I can make it three!
Inaki Williams' impressive campaign
The 30-year-old played more minutes than any other Athletic Club player this season and contributed a total of 14 goals and assists. His performance was key to the team’s success.
Reflecting on Athletic Club’s progress, he said,
We currently have an excellent mix of young talent and experienced players at Athletic Club, and we’re playing some incredible football. We’ve had two great seasons, and we’re not setting any limits for ourselves.
LALIGA Africa boss Tresor Penku also congratulated Williams and thanked fans and journalists across the continent for their support, calling it proof of Africa’s strong presence in European football.
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Williams now joins an elite group of previous MVP winners, following Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze in 2023 and Morocco’s Yassine Bounou in 2022.