Spain have received a minor boost after confirming that both Nico Williams and Yeremy Pino escaped the most serious outcomes from their respective injuries suffered against Uruguay.
Neither player is expected to be available for Spain’s upcoming matches, but both will remain with the squad and could potentially feature in the latter stages of the tournament.
Williams was using the Uruguay match as part of a gradual return from injury, attempting to build up his fitness ahead of the knockout rounds before suffering another setback.
Pino came on as a second-half substitute for Lamine Yamal, but left the game under a cloud after landing awkwardly on his shoulder following a robust challenge.
Initial fears surrounded the possibility of a broken collarbone for Pino, while Williams sustained a hamstring injury that raised immediate concerns about his involvement going forward.
The RFEF has since described both injuries as ‘medium’ in terms of severity, offering encouragement that the door has not been entirely shut on further involvement at the World Cup.
Cadena SER have reported that the chances of either player featuring again remain remote, though both could contribute if Spain advance deep enough into the tournament.
Williams took to social media following the match, describing it as the ‘worst day of his life’ while also confirming he would not be returning home early.
The winger directed pointed criticism at Flamengo midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz, accusing him of going into the challenge with a deliberate intent to cause harm.
Williams suggested that de la Cruz acted out of frustration, stating a ‘colleague of the profession acted out of frustration, unhappiness and sadness of the situation he was going through.’
He added clearly angry remarks about the incident, saying “It was a play, that in my opinion, could have been avoided because it was completely unnecessary.”
Spain will hope to have both players available before the tournament concludes, though their immediate priority will be navigating the knockout stages without two key attacking options.
