Fermin Lopez's Foot Fracture Ends World Cup Dreams for Spain

Spain’s plans for the World Cup have taken a brutal hit. Fermin Lopez, one of Barcelona’s rising centrepieces and a growing force in Luis de la Fuente’s midfield, is set to miss the tournament after fracturing his right foot.

The injury came in what should have been a routine, satisfying night for Barcelona. A 3-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday, another step in a season of domestic dominance, turned sour when Lopez damaged the fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

Barcelona confirmed the diagnosis and announced the 23-year-old will undergo surgery. They stopped short of giving a return date, but the timing and nature of the injury leave little room for optimism about his World Cup chances.

For Spain, it is a major tactical and emotional blow.

Lopez has collected seven caps and, on current form, was on course to be named in De la Fuente’s squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The coach is due to reveal his list on Monday, 25 May, and now faces a late reshuffle in a key area of the pitch.

Spain open their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on Monday, 15 June in Atlanta (17:00 BST), before taking on Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H. Lopez was shaping up as the kind of all-action midfielder who could knit together Spain’s possession game with a harder running edge against such varied opponents.

His rise at Barcelona over the past two seasons has been relentless. Once a promising youngster on the fringes, he has grown into a regular starter and a symbol of the club’s new core, helping the Catalans secure back-to-back La Liga titles. This season alone, despite twice being halted by groin problems, he has produced 13 goals and 17 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions — numbers that speak more like a forward’s than a midfielder’s.

That productivity, combined with his aggression off the ball and willingness to burst beyond the striker, had made him one of the most intriguing options in Spain’s evolving squad. He was no longer just a prospect; he was becoming a pillar.

The World Cup was supposed to be his next big stage.

Lopez’s only taste of a major international tournament so far came at Euro 2024, where he featured for just 28 minutes in Spain’s triumphant campaign. This summer was lining up as his chance to move from supporting role to central figure.

Instead, Spain must adjust without him, and Barcelona must once again navigate a crucial period missing a key midfielder. For a player who had finally strung together a near-complete season after earlier injury setbacks, the timing could hardly be crueller.

De la Fuente will still name 26 players on Monday. One of the most dynamic of his midfield options, though, will be watching from home, boot off, foot in recovery, wondering how different this summer might have been.