Spain midfielder Fermin Lopez to miss World Cup with fractured foot
Spain and Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez is expected to miss the upcoming World Cup after fracturing his right foot during a domestic fixture against Real Betis.
The 23-year-old will undergo surgery for the fifth metatarsal injury sustained on Sunday.
Lopez suffered a fracture to the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in the game against Betis. The player will undergo surgery.
While a specific recovery timeline has not been provided, the Catalan club’s confirmation effectively rules the playmaker out of this summer’s tournament.
A major blow for La Roja
The national team begin their group-stage campaign against Cape Verde on 15 June in Atlanta.
They subsequently face Saudi Arabia six days later before concluding the initial phase against Uruguay on 27 June.
The dynamic attacker was widely expected to be named in the final squad following an outstanding spell of international form.
Recent international success
He was a key member of the national squad that triumphed at the 2024 European Championship.
The talented midfielder also fired his nation’s under-23 side to Olympic gold in Paris.
During that tournament, he scored six goals, which included a decisive brace in the final against host nation France.
To date, the academy graduate has earned seven senior caps and featured in three World Cup qualifiers last year.
Stellar domestic season cut short
This setback represents a cruel end to a highly impressive club campaign under manager Hansi Flick.
The versatile star scored six goals in 30 league appearances to help his side comfortably retain the Spanish top-flight title.
He added a further six goals in the Champions League before a quarter-final exit at the hands of domestic rivals Atletico Madrid.