Fermín López ruled out of Spain World Cup with foot injury

Spain will be without midfielder Fermín López for the upcoming FIFA World Cup after the Barcelona player sustained a significant foot injury. The 23-year-old suffered a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his right foot during Barcelona’s 3-1 league victory over Real Betis on Sunday and was substituted at halftime.

Barcelona confirmed the injury in an official statement, noting that López will require surgical treatment. Medical assessments indicate a recovery timeline of six to eight weeks, which rules him out of the World Cup, set to begin in North America next month. Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has confirmed López will not be selected for the tournament.

López’s absence is a considerable setback for a Spanish side considered among the favorites. He was a pivotal figure for Barcelona during their domestic double-winning 2025-26 season, contributing 13 goals and 17 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions. For the national team, he has earned seven senior caps since his 2024 debut and featured in recent World Cup qualifiers and friendlies.

The injury compounds selection challenges for de la Fuente on the left side of the attack, where Athletic Club’s Nico...