Ex-Liverpool, Burnley and Wales youth defender Keelan Williams, younger brother of Wales star Neco, has been forced to retire from football aged just 22

The younger brother of Wales international Neco Williams has been forced to retire from football at the age of just 22 after being diagnosed with heart failure.

Keelan Williams, who previously represented Liverpool and Burnley at academy level and captained Wales' youth sides, has seen his promising career brought to a heartbreaking end following two open-heart operations and two pacemaker implants.

The former Bala Town and Denbigh Town player had hoped to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, who has established himself as a Premier League regular with Nottingham Forest and become a key figure for Wales.

However, despite undergoing extensive treatment for a congenital heart condition first discovered when he was 15, Williams has been left with no option but to walk away from the sport.

Speaking to the BBC, he revealed the devastating impact the diagnosis has had on his life.

"It's sad and disappointing that I've had to make the decision to retire and step away from playing because of a cardiac condition," he said.

In an Instagram post announcing his retirement, big Premier League stars such as Elliot Anderson of Manchester City, Morgan Rogers of Chelsea and, of course, Neco himself offered their well-wishes.

Williams was initially diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve, a condition which means one of the heart's valves has two flaps rather than the usual three, during a routine medical examination while on international duty with Wales Under-16s.

At the time, he was showing no symptoms and was permitted to continue playing, progressing through Liverpool's academy before joining Burnley at the age of 16.

He subsequently returned to Welsh football, signing for Bala Town in January 2024 before later turning out for Denbigh Town.

But a routine medical appointment towards the end of 2024 revealed that the leak in his heart valve had deteriorated significantly, leaving surgery as the only option.

In January 2025, Williams underwent an operation to repair his aortic root and was subsequently fitted with a pacemaker.

His recovery was complicated by a series of serious medical problems, including sepsis, a collapsed lung and respiratory failure, which resulted in an 11-day stay in intensive care.

A second heart operation followed in September 2025, with Williams still hopeful of resuming his football career.

However, his return to the pitch brought fresh concerns as he struggled with breathlessness and fatigue.

"When I got back, I couldn't perform at 100%. I would sprint up the pitch, and I'd feel gassed, out of breath, and my legs were heavy," he told the BBC.

"Initially, I thought it was my fitness after returning from a second heart surgery. But I had heart failure. My ejection fraction percentage was only 37%, meaning my heart was not pumping as well as it should be."

Tests showed his heart was pumping considerably less effectively than normal, with his left ventricular ejection fraction measured at 37%, compared with the typical healthy range of 50% to 70%.

Despite being prescribed five tablets a day and having his pacemaker upgraded, his condition showed little improvement.

A subsequent scan revealed that his ejection fraction had increased by just one percentage point to 38%, ultimately forcing him to confront the reality that his playing days were over.

"That's when I decided that I will have to stop playing because I couldn't carry on physically with how I felt," he explained.

The news has been particularly difficult for Williams given the footballing journey he shared with his older brother Neco.

Both came through the Liverpool youth system, with Keelan joining the club's satellite academy aged six before signing academy terms two years later.

While Neco went on to represent Liverpool, Fulham and Nottingham Forest, Keelan's own ambitions have now been cruelly cut short.

But he considers himself "lucky", too, because if he hadn't have played the game, he may never have discovered that he had a leak in his heart valve.

The former Wales youth international is now hoping his experience will encourage other footballers, particularly those playing outside the professional game, to undergo regular heart screenings.

"To anyone out there, I would 100% get your heart checked to be on the safe side. You want to find it as soon as possible, as I did," he added.

"Football is all about setbacks and how you respond. I've had to stop playing completely, which is more extreme, but you have to look at the positives."