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Fermín López has seen his World Cup dreams go up in smoke after Barcelona confirmed the midfielder will need surgery on a broken metatarsal.
The 23-year-old was forced off during the Blaugrana’s 3-1 La Liga win over Real Betis, leaving Spain boss Luis de la Fuente with a major selection headache just days before he named his squad.
Devastating injury news for Barca and Spain
Barcelona’s end-of-season celebrations have been marred by the news that Fermin has suffered a serious foot injury that is likely to keep him out of the upcoming 2026 World Cup. The midfielder, who has become a key figure for both club and country, sustained the injury during Sunday’s 3-1 La Liga win over Real Betis.
Fermin was substituted at half-time at the Spotify Camp Nou after appearing to be in significant discomfort. While it was initially hoped that the withdrawal was just a precautionary measure, subsequent medical examinations have revealed the full extent of the injury, leaving both player and fans devastated as the summer approaches.
Barcelona statement confirms operation
The Catalan giants have moved quickly to clarify the situation and issued an official statement on Monday. The news was as bad as feared and the club confirmed that the La Masia candidate will have to go under the knife to repair the fracture in his right foot.
“First-team player Fermín López suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot in the match against Betis. The player will undergo surgery,” the club said in a statement.
World Cup 2026 hopes in tatters
Although Barcelona have yet to put a definitive time frame on his return, a broken fifth metatarsal typically requires a recovery period of at least six to eight weeks. With Spain set to kick off their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15, the math simply isn’t working in Fermin’s favour.
Spain boss De la Fuente was expected to include the energetic midfielder in his final squad to be announced next Monday. But this injury blow means that a replacement must now be found. Fermin will also be absent for Barcelona’s final La Liga clash of the campaign against Valencia next weekend.
A major blow to Spain’s plans
The loss of Fermin is a significant setback for La Roja, who saw the Barcelona man as a key tactical asset given his ability to deliver goals from midfield. His absence adds to a growing list of concerns for the national team as they prepare to compete on the world stage again,
