Spain’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered another setback after fresh injury concerns emerged from Barcelona, along with the news of Lamine Yamal's fitness problems ahead of the tournament.
Lamine Yamal is already racing against time to recover from the hamstring injury he suffered in April.
The 18-year-old has missed the remainder of Barcelona’s season, and several reports now suggest he could also miss Spain’s opening World Cup match against Cape Verde. Some reports have even claimed he remains doubtful for the second group-stage game against Saudi Arabia as Spain carefully manages his recovery.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente recently admitted the national team has been dealing with a difficult period of injuries, although he remains hopeful Yamal will feature at some stage during the group phase.
Now, Spain have been dealt another major blow involving another Barcelona midfielder.
Spain Loses Barcelona Star for World Cup
Lamine Yamal's teammate Fermín López, is expected to miss the World Cup after suffering a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot.
Lopez suffered the injury during Barcelona’s 3-1 La Liga victory over Real Betis. The midfielder was forced off at half-time after taking a knock, and later medical tests confirmed the fracture. Barcelona have already confirmed that the 22-year-old will undergo surgery.
Reports in Spain state that the recovery timeline will likely rule him out of the World Cup, with Spain’s final squad announcement approaching quickly.
The injury is another frustrating setback for Spain, especially after Lopez enjoyed a strong season with Barcelona and was pushing for an important role in Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup plans.
