Nico Williams hands his World Cup medal to his mother, who had traveled from Ghana to Spain while pregnant.

After Spain won the 2026 World Cup, Nico Williams made a touching gesture: he handed his World Cup medal to his mother in the stands to thank her for her years of hard work for the family.

In the final, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win their second World Cup title. After the award ceremony, Nico walked over to his mother, who was sitting in the front row of the Metropolitan Life Stadium, and handed her the precious championship medal.

Behind this medal lies the unique story of the Williams family.

In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Nico's brother, Iñaki Williams, recounted the arduous journey their parents had taken to Spain. At the time, the family traveled from Ghana, with their mother pregnant with Iñaki on this perilous journey.

Iniaki revealed that she did not know her parents had gone through such a difficult process: "I did not know they had trekked across the desert. I knew my father had injured his feet, but I did not know it was because he had walked barefoot across the Sahara Desert where the temperature reached 40 or 50 degrees Celsius."

The Williams family initially arrived in Melilla, Spain, then moved to Pamplona, and eventually settled in Athletic Bilbao. Iñaki stated that it wasn't until he was 20 years old and had become a first-team player for Athletic Bilbao that he truly understood everything his parents had gone through.

Today, Iniaki has become a legend at Athletic Bilbao. He has represented the Ghanaian national team and made 510 appearances in his club career, ranking fifth in the club's history.

Meanwhile, his younger brother Nico is also writing his own legend. He has already won the 2024 European Championship and the 2026 World Cup with the Spanish national team, and also won the 2023-24 Copa del Rey with Athletic Bilbao.

Several years ago, Iniaki spoke about her brother's growth: "I started writing my own story seven years ago, and he has to write his own. We've been through it all together, and I'm so proud of him. He's progressing quickly, but he still has a lot to prove and a lot of work to do. Let him grow, let him earn his own future."

Today, Nico has proven himself with a World Cup title. The medal he handed to his mother serves as the best testament to this story that transcends national borders, filled with struggle and hope.