Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, faces a setback as FC Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez will miss the World Cup due to a broken foot. Lopez sustained a fracture in the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot during a match against Real Betis, requiring surgery with no specified return timeline.
Barcelona confirmed Lopez’s injury after he was substituted at halftime in their recent victory over Real Betis. The 23-year-old midfielder, who has represented Spain seven times, will not be able to recover in time for the World Cup matches against Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay.
Despite Lopez’s impressive performances for Barcelona in the past two seasons, contributing to their La Liga triumphs with 13 goals and 17 assists this season, his absence from the World Cup squad is a significant loss. This would have been Lopez’s second major international tournament after his brief appearance in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.
Spain’s injury concerns extend beyond Lopez, with other players like Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal facing fitness challenges. De la Fuente is monitoring the recovery of these players, including Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, who underwent foot surgery earlier this year.
