Fermín López, fast, energetic, and dangerous with the ball when attacking from the midfield, was someone Spain fans wanted to see in the 2026 World Cup. Unfortunately, he will not be with the national team due to a fractured bone in his right foot.
It was on May 18th that the terrible news was confirmed by FC Barcelona: López had a fracture in the fifth metatarsian of his right foot and required surgery. This automatically ruled him out of the World Cup, just like his national team teammate Dani Carvajal, who was not called up either.
After playing 30 games in the 2025-26 season with FC Barcelona and winning La Liga, López was expected to be a key piece among Spain’s youngsters for the World Cup. With only 7 caps, he was already considered a player who could help his country go far.
Spain looks good without López
Despite López having two great seasons with FC Barcelona and proving more than capable of playing for the national team, Spain will not have problems in the midfield. Plenty of veterans cover the midfield, which includes attackers like Gavi and Pedri, also from FC Barcelona.
Another player who could fill the void left by López is Álex Baena from Atlético Madrid, who has had 5 solid years with his team in La Liga, totaling 22 goals and 34 assists during that period, making him a viable option.
When could López return to play for Spain?
According to the FC Barcelona report, also detailed by El País, it is estimated that it will take López 2 months to recover following his surgery to repair the fracture. Therefore, he will be able to play for Spain again in an international friendly or another tournament after the World Cup.
