Neco Williams
A dynamic Welsh full-back who announced himself on the world stage with a fearless performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Born 2001 (age 25)·Welsh footballer·Birthday: April 13·Generation Z
Biography
Born in Wrexham, Neco Williams was a product of Liverpool's famed academy, signing with the club at the age of six. His path to the first team was accelerated by his relentless energy and pinpoint crossing ability, making his senior debut in a Carabao Cup tie against Arsenal in 2019. While opportunities at Anfield were limited in a squad packed with talent, his move to Nottingham Forest in 2022 proved transformative, securing regular Premier League football. For Wales, Williams has been a revelation, his attacking thrust from wing-back becoming a key component of the national team's setup. His tearful, dedicated celebration after scoring against Ukraine to send Wales to the 2022 World Cup encapsulated his passion and cemented his status as a fan favorite.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Neco was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Neco Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Neco's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Made his senior debut for Liverpool FC in 2019, coming through the club's academy system.
- Played a crucial role in Wales's qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, their first since 1958.
- Secured a permanent transfer to Premier League side Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022.
- Won the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup as part of Liverpool's squad in 2019-20.
Did You Know?
He is a fluent Welsh speaker.
He was named after the Brazilian footballer Neco, who played for Benfica in the 1990s.
He made his full international debut for Wales at the age of 18.
“You give everything for the badge, whether it's for Liverpool or for Wales.”
