Spain are set to travel to North America this summer as the reigning European champions and one of the leading contenders to lift the World Cup trophy.

Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, who played a vital role for La Roja during their victorious Euro 2024 campaign, is looking forward to his first-ever World Cup appearance with big aspirations.

Like his Spanish teammates, Nico dreams of lifting football’s most prestigious trophy in New Jersey this July. But beyond that, he has a deeply personal ambition for the tournament.

Nico expressed his determination in an interview with FourFourTwo, saying, “We have a very important challenge, and I hope to win the World Cup. I think we’re going to win the World Cup with the team we have.”

He added, “There are world-class players who are going to help us. We have big rivals like France, England and Argentina, who are very tough, but I have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We’re going to take it step-by-step. Winning the World Cup would be the icing on the cake.”

Apart from his national team ambitions, Nico also has his sights set on a possible encounter with his older brother Inaki Williams, who switched his international allegiance to Ghana – the country of their parents’ birth – in 2022 and has since earned 25 caps for the Black Stars.

There is a slight possibility that the two brothers could face each other this summer – a scenario they have never experienced before, even as club teammates at Athletic Bilbao, and one that might never happen again.

Spain will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in their group stage matches. If Spain top Group H and Ghana finish second in England’s group, Nico and Inaki could meet in the Round of 16 – provided both nations progress through their respective knockout fixtures.

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to meet at some point, but I would like to play against my brother – him for Ghana and me for Spain,” said Nico, who has 30 international caps to his name.

He added with a smile, “It would be a very nice duel – I think my parents would have a heart attack because they wouldn’t know who to support!”

Joking about the potential clash, Nico continued, “I hope I can play against him and win, although he’s going to score five goals if we do meet each other. My brother knows all about the team we have – Ghana are also a good side. I hope we can cross paths – if we do, we’ll win for sure!”

Spain begin their World Cup campaign on June 15 against Cape Verde, while Ghana will play their opening match against Panama three days later.