Spain's Nico Williams blames Uruguay rival for 'unnecessary' tackle that left him and Yeremy Pino injured
Nico Williams hit out at Uruguay's Nicolás de la Cruz for a "completely unnecessary" tackle that caused a muscle injury, while teammate Yeremy Pino suffered a shoulder sprain in the same 1-0 victory that sent Uruguay home.
What happened
Spain secured top spot in Group H with a 1-0 win over Uruguay in Guadalajara, but the night was overshadowed by two injuries to key wide players. Nico Williams limped off with a right adductor muscle problem after a late challenge by Nicolás de la Cruz, who was booked; moments later, Agustin Canobbio was shown a straight red for a dive on Pau Cubarsi. Yeremy Pino also needed treatment after falling awkwardly on his shoulder in the 87th minute, though he finished the match.
- Spain
- 9 points
- Cape Verde
- 3 points
- Uruguay
- 2 points
- Saudi Arabia
- 2 points
Nico Williams' injury and reaction
Williams suffered a moderate-grade muscle tear caused by what he called a foul born of frustration. The Spanish federation (RFEF) confirmed the diagnosis after scans in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and refused to rule him out of the tournament. The 23-year-old, who has endured a season wrecked by pubalgia and a hamstring issue, missed 20 matches for Athletic Club and managed only 46 substitute minutes across Spain's three group games.
Today is one of the worst days of my life. I am injured again after a very difficult year. Yesterday I suffered a new injury following an incident where a fellow professional acted out of frustration, unhappiness, and sadness over the situation he was going through. In my opinion, it was a play that could have been avoided, as it was completely unnecessary. But this won't stop me.
Yeremy Pino's scare
Initial fears of a broken collarbone were dispelled when radiological exams showed an acromioclavicular sprain, also of moderate severity. Pino, a Crystal Palace winger, had landed heavily and needed medical assistance, but the RFEF confirmed no fracture. Coach Luis de la Fuente was visibly shaken, telling reporters the pain of the team was immense.
The worst is the tremendous pain we feel for what's happening with Yeremy - he could miss the rest of the World Cup. What Pino did was heroic.
Selection puzzle for De la Fuente
Spain arrived at the tournament with doubts already swirling around their wide options. Williams was recovering from an April pubalgia relapse, Lamine Yamal had hamstring trouble, and summer signing Victor Muñoz (Liverpool) has yet to feature because of a leg muscle injury. De la Fuente had already improvised a left-flank role for Gavi in the goalless draw against Cape Verde. Alternatives include pushing Mikel Oyarzabal wide or giving more minutes to Ferran Torres and Borja Iglesias, while Muñoz resumed partial group training and could be cleared soon.
What's next
The federation stressed that both injuries are moderate and availability will depend on daily progress. Spain topped the group with nine points, ahead of Cape Verde (three points), while Uruguay and Saudi Arabia (two points each) are eliminated. The last-32 opponent will be the Group J runner-up, either Austria or Algeria, with a potential path all the way to the 19 July final in New Jersey.
