Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez is expected to miss the 2026 World Cup after suffering a serious leg injury while playing for his club.
"First-team player Fermin Lopez suffered a broken leg during the match against Betis. He will undergo surgery soon," Barcelona's official website reported.
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Lopez sustained the injury in Barcelona's 3-1 LaLiga win over Real Betis on Monday.
According to a report by The Athletic, the injury has virtually eliminated Lopez's chances of playing for the Spanish national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is scheduled to announce his squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico on Monday.
According to the report, Fermin's injury is known to require a lengthy recovery time for footballers. In many cases, players are sidelined for two to three months.
Manchester United and Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez suffered a similar injury in April 2023.
Martinez had to end his season early after undergoing surgery and only returned to action at the start of the following season before suffering the same injury again a few months later.
Lopez himself has been a key player for Barcelona over the past two seasons, helping the Blaugrana win two consecutive La Liga titles.
Throughout this season, Lopez has impressed, scoring 13 goals and providing 17 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions. This feat was achieved despite two groin injuries.
The 2026 World Cup could potentially be Lopez's second major international tournament, after appearing with Spain at Euro 2024. He played 28 minutes on Spain's way to the European title.
Spain will begin their Group H campaign against Cape Verde on June 15 in Atlanta. La Furia Roja will also face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the group stage.
