Spain secured top spot in Group H at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Uruguay, but the celebrations were overshadowed by serious injury concerns involving wingers Yeremy Pino and Nico Williams ahead of the knockout rounds.

The European champions booked their place in the Round of 32 thanks to Álex Baena’s first-half goal in Guadalajara, a result that also confirmed Uruguay’s elimination from the tournament. However, head coach Luis de la Fuente now faces a selection headache after losing two of his key wide players during the contest.

Two Spain Players with Injury Setbacks

Yeremy Pino appears to have suffered the more serious setback. The Crystal Palace winger landed awkwardly on his left shoulder late in the second half and was forced to continue playing despite being in visible pain because Spain had already used all of their substitution windows. Initial assessments suggest Pino may have fractured his collarbone, with medical tests scheduled to confirm the extent of the damage. If confirmed, the 23-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the World Cup.

There was further concern for Nico Williams, who had only recently returned from injury and was introduced as a second-half substitute against Uruguay. The Athletic Club winger finished the match with discomfort in his groin after reporting muscle pain in the closing stages. De la Fuente remained cautiously optimistic after the game, saying the issue could simply be fatigue, although further scans will determine whether Williams has suffered another muscle strain.

Spain’s growing injury list could significantly impact their title ambitions. Lamine Yamal is still being carefully managed after his hamstring problems earlier this year, while Víctor Muñoz has yet to feature at the tournament because of a muscle setback. With Pino potentially ruled out and Williams’ availability uncertain, De la Fuente may have to reshuffle his attack by deploying players such as Gavi, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres or Mikel Oyarzabal in wider roles for Spain’s Round of 32 clash.

Although Spain advanced as Group H winners, their preparations for the knockout stage have suddenly become far more complicated as they await the results of crucial medical examinations on the injured duo.

Why Spain may Finish with Truncated Squad

If the duo are injured, Spain will be in deep trouble. As per FIFA rules, the teams can’t replace any player once they play their first match in the group stages. Hence, if either Pino or Williams are ruled out for the entirety, Spain will have to continue with a truncated squad of 24 players.