Spain midfielder Fermin Lopez faces a race against time — and, by most expectations, will lose it — after fracturing a bone in his right foot during Barcelona's 3-1 victory over Real Betis on Sunday.

The 23-year-old suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal, with Barcelona confirming he will undergo surgery. The club offered no timetable for his recovery, but the injury is expected to rule him out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A blow for Spain's World Cup plans

Lopez had been on course to receive a call-up from Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who is scheduled to name his World Cup squad on Monday, 25 May. The injury strikes at the worst possible moment, denying De la Fuente one of his more dynamic midfield options.

Spain are placed in Group H, where they open their campaign against Cape Verde on Monday, 15 June in Atlanta. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia complete the group.

Lopez had earned seven caps for the national side and would have been among the squad's fresher but increasingly relied-upon figures. He featured for 28 minutes during Spain's triumphant Euro 2024 run — a tournament the Spaniards won — meaning the World Cup would have been his second major international stage.

A standout season cut short

The setback arrives at the end of a remarkable individual campaign. Lopez scored 13 goals and registered 17 assists across 48 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona this season — a contribution that helped the Catalans claim back-to-back La Liga titles.

That productivity came despite Lopez navigating two separate groin injuries during the campaign, underlining both his resilience and his growing importance to Hansi Flick's side.

Now, the midfielder faces a new and more serious physical setback, with the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico almost certainly beyond his reach.