Spain got the result they needed against Uruguay. They also got something they very much did not need: two more names on an injury list that was already starting to look like a CVS receipt.
Winger Nico Williams went down with a muscle injury during stoppage time of Spain’s 1-0 victory over Uruguay on June 26, raising immediate concerns about his availability for the knockout rounds. Teammate Yeremy Pino’s situation is worse. A suspected collarbone fracture is likely to end his tournament entirely.
The wing problem
Williams had been one of Spain’s most dangerous attacking weapons. A hamstring issue picked up in the dying minutes of a match already won is the cruelest kind of injury, the footballing equivalent of twisting your ankle on the way to collect a lottery check.
And then there’s Lamine Yamal. The young Barcelona star suffered a partial hamstring tear back in April, which limited his match readiness heading into the World Cup.
