1. Early life
Neco Williams was born on 13 April 2001 in Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, Wales. He is the second child of Lee Williams, a former footballer for Cefn United, and Emma Jones, a dance teacher. His father's family originates from Porthmadog. Williams attended Ysgol Rhiwabon in Ruabon.
1.1. Childhood and youth career
At the age of six, Williams joined the youth system of Cefn United, initially playing as a striker. After participating in a tournament in Gresford, he attracted the attention of prominent clubs including Manchester United, Everton, and Liverpool. He ultimately signed with Liverpool in 2007 (though some sources indicate 2009).
Williams progressed through Liverpool's youth ranks, playing for their U18, U19, and U23 teams, and also featured in the UEFA Youth League. In 2013, he participated in the U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge in Japan. He suffered a serious back injury that sidelined him for most of the 2017-18 season. However, he successfully recovered to play a significant role in the club's victorious FA Youth Cup campaign in 2018-19. Williams signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in January 2019.
2. Club career
Williams' professional club career began with his debut for Liverpool's senior team, followed by a loan spell at Fulham, and a permanent transfer to Nottingham Forest.
2.1. Liverpool
Williams' strong performances at the youth level earned him his senior debut for Liverpool on 30 October 2019. He started in an EFL Cup match against Arsenal, which ended in a thrilling 5-5 draw before Liverpool secured a 5-4 victory in a penalty shoot-out. During the match, Williams provided a crucial last-minute assist for Divock Origi's goal, which sent the game to penalties.
In December 2019, he was part of Liverpool's squad that won the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, although he remained an unused substitute in both of the club's matches in the tournament. Following the turn of the year, Williams featured prominently in a Liverpool team largely composed of teenagers and reserves. This young side notably defeated Merseyside rivals Everton 1-0 in the FA Cup 3rd round. In the 4th round replay against Shrewsbury Town, Williams' contribution led to an own goal from Ro-Shaun Williams, securing Liverpool's progression in the competition. The starting line-up in that match against Shrewsbury Town was the youngest in Liverpool's history, with an average age of 19 years and two days.
His Premier League debut came on 24 June 2020, after the season resumed following a three-month suspension due to the COVID-19 outbreak. He entered the match as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Williams ultimately made enough appearances to earn a Premier League winner's medal, becoming the fifth Welsh player to achieve this feat, as Liverpool secured their first league title in 30 years. On 17 August 2020, he signed a new long-term contract with the club. During the 2020-21 season, Liverpool finished 3rd in the Premier League. Williams was also part of the squad that reached the final of the 2020 FA Community Shield, where Liverpool were runners-up.
2.2. Loan to Fulham
On 31 January 2022, Williams joined Championship club Fulham on loan for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. He scored the first senior club goals of his career on 8 March 2022, netting twice in Fulham's 5-1 victory over Swansea City. He played a role in Fulham's successful campaign, which saw them win the Championship title.
2.3. Nottingham Forest
Williams completed a permanent transfer to newly promoted Premier League club Nottingham Forest on 10 July 2022. He signed a four-year contract, with the transfer fee reported to be around 17.00 M GBP. On 22 April 2023, Williams scored his first goal for Nottingham Forest in a 3-2 away loss against his former club, Liverpool.
3. International career
Williams is eligible to represent both Wales and England, with his grandparents being English. He initially represented Wales at U19 level. In August 2020, he received his first call-up to the senior Wales squad.
Williams made his senior international debut for Wales on 3 September 2020, in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League victory over Finland. His first international goal came just three days later, on 6 September 2020, when he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League victory against Bulgaria.
In May 2021, Williams was selected for the Wales squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, marking his first major international competition. He played a significant role in Wales' successful qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which was the nation's first appearance in the tournament since 1958. In November 2022, he was officially named in the Wales squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
4. Personal life
Williams has a younger brother, Keelan Williams, who also plays football for Denbigh Town and previously played for Liverpool's youth team, as well as Burnley's U18 and U21 sides. Neco also has an older sister, Taya Williams, and two younger sisters, Sarae Williams and Ocea Williams.
In November 2022, Williams' maternal grandfather, Kelvin Jones, passed away the day before Wales' opening game of the World Cup. Williams revealed the loss after the match, dedicating his performance to his grandfather. A mural dedicated to Neco Williams was erected in his home village of Cefn Mawr.
5. Career statistics
5.1. Club statistics
As of 26 February 2025
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool U21 | 2019-20 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2019-20 | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2021-22 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| Fulham (loan) | 2021-22 | Championship | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 15 | 2 | |||
| Nottingham Forest | 2022-23 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 1 | ||
| 2023-24 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 0 | |||
| 2024-25 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 1 | |||
| Total | 80 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 93 | 2 | ||||
| Career total | 107 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 143 | 6 | ||
5.2. International statistics
As of 19 November 2024
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 2020 | 6 | 1 |
| 2021 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 44 | 4 | |
5.3. International goals
Wales' score listed first, score column indicates score after each Williams goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 September 2020 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 2 | Bulgaria | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2020-21 UEFA Nations League B |
| 2 | 13 November 2021 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 16 | Belarus | 2-0 | 5-1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 21 November 2023 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 35 | Turkey | 1-0 | 1-1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
| 4 | 21 March 2024 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 37 | Finland | 2-0 | 4-1 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
6. Honours
Liverpool Youth
- FA Youth Cup: 2018-19
Liverpool
- Premier League: 2019-20
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2019
- Premier League: 3rd place (2020-21)
- FA Community Shield: Runner-up (2020)
Fulham
- EFL Championship: 2021-22