Ashley Williams Euro 20202
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Ashley Williams: From Wales captain to BBC Euro 2020 pundit and charity patron

The former Welsh international is even a Frozen fan!

Ashley Williams is no stranger to an international football tournament having captained Wales, so it’s no surprise he’s now gracing our TV screens as a Euro 2020 pundit.

Fresh out of a professional football career, when he isn’t on TV, the kind-hearted critic undertakes extensive charity work.

Throw in his handsome good looks and it’s no wonder the Beeb has snapped him up to join its line-up of pundits for the tournament.

Ashley Williams has joined the BBC as an Euro 2020 pundit (Credit: BBC)

Is Euro 2020 pundit Ashley Williams married?

He is indeed.

Ashley and his wife Vanessa run their own charity called WillsWorld, which supports under-privileged children.

The couple have two sons, Xavier and Raphael.

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Vanessa is an accountant by trade, but she stays off social media and out of the spotlight as much as possible.

Ashley, meanwhile, is also patron of Street Football Wales and the Ethan Perkins Trust.

The charities work to fight social exclusion and raise funds for childhood brain cancers respectively.

Ashley was born in Wolverhampton on August 23 1984, making him 36.

He has mixed heritage, with a Jamaican father and Welsh mother.

Growing up he was a Liverpool fan and his favourite player was John Barnes.

What happened to Ashley when he was photographed in hospital?

The centre-back was playing for Wales at international level versus Mexico when he sustained a horror injury.

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A picture of him in hospital terrified fans as he was seen hooked up to breathing apparatus.

He had suffered a collapsed lung and multiple rib breaks in a horrific collision with Javier Hernandez.

How did Ashley become a pundit?

The former pro sportsman racked up an impressive career in football and is proof that persistence is everything.

He started out as a youth player for West Bromwich Albion but was released by them aged 16.

Ashley went on to join non-league Hednesford Town and Division Two club Stockport County.

He made his international debut for Wales whilst playing for the latter.

In 2008, aged 24, Ashley signed to Swansea City on loan.

He went on to have substantial success at the club over the next eight years before joining Everton for a whopping £12 million in 2016.

While at Everton, the dad of two gained some attention for his seemingly short temper.

He kicked off a couple of on-pitch fights and club manager Ronald Koeman said he needed to work on his self-control.

Ashley subsequently left the club on loan to Stoke City in 2018.

He was released from his three-year Everton contract at the end of the 2018/2019 season.

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The centre-back then had brief stint at Bristol City as he began winding down his career.

Ashley also has international caps under his belt and captained Wales in the Euro 2016 tournament. They famously made it all the way to the semi-finals.

He retired in January 2021 and embarked upon his new career as a pundit.

Does Euro 2020 pundit Ashley Williams really know the words to Let It Go?

He may have been fiery with opponents from time to time during his career but he’s really just a big softie.

He even knows all the words to Frozen anthem Let It go.

Don’t believe it? Check out the video evidence below!

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