Spain’s World Cup hopes took another hit as midfielder Nico Williams left a La Liga match on Sunday after sustaining an apparent left leg injury. Williams exited the game in the 36th minute during Athletic Club’s match against Valencia, visibly upset. He later sat on the bench with a compression pad on his left hamstring while Valencia secured a 1-0 victory.
The 23-year-old Williams has made 30 appearances for Spain’s national team since 2022, scoring six goals. This season, he has also netted six goals and provided seven assists in 32 games for Athletic Club.
Adding to Spain’s injury woes, midfielder Lamine Yamal suffered a torn hamstring last month while playing for Barcelona.
Spain is set to compete in Group H of this summer’s World Cup in North America. The team’s first two matches will take place in Atlanta, starting with a match against Cape Verde on June 15, followed by a game against Saudi Arabia on June 21. Spain will conclude its group stage against Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.