Athletic's Inaki Williams misses his first La Liga game in nearly SEVEN YEARS

Inaki Williams missed his first La Liga game for Athletic Bilbao since April 2016 on Sunday, as he was forced to sit out with an injury.

The 28-year-old had played an enormous 251 league games in a row for the Spanish side and become a key cog in their forward line.

He has also scored 78 goals since joining the first team in 2014 after an impressive spell for Bilbao Athletic, the club's B team.

Williams was not included in Bilbao's matchday squad to face Celta Vigo on Sunday after picking up an injury in their last game against Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter final.

He assisted two goals for Ernesto Valverde's side as they advanced to the next round of the tournament with a 3-1 victory.

The last time Williams missed a La Liga game, Leicester were Premier League champions, Arsene Wenger was manager of Arsenal and England were yet to be knocked out of the Euros by Iceland.

Fans showed their appreciation for the forward, who has played international football for both Ghana and Spain, as one tweeted that his value should be 'through the roof' after going so long without missing a game.

His achievement was also described as 'unreal' and a 'feat we will never see in modern football again.'

The severity of Williams' injury is not currently known, so it is unclear whether he will return in time for Bilbao's next game against Cadiz on Friday.