Spain winger Nico Williams didn’t hold back. After leaving the World Cup match against Uruguay with a right adductor injury, he took to Instagram with a message aimed directly at opponent Nicolas de la Cruz. Williams called the challenge that forced him out “completely unnecessary” and accused de la Cruz of acting out of “frustration, dissatisfaction, and sadness.”
The Athletic Club star was stretchered off in Guadalajara after a heavy tackle early in the second half. Medical tests confirmed a moderate muscle tear in his right adductor. While team doctors haven’t officially ruled him out for the rest of the tournament, the timeline is brutal. A moderate injury like this typically takes two to four weeks to heal. Spain’s next match could come before then.
Williams has been dealing with chronic pubalgia for years, a groin issue that’s nagged him through club seasons and international duty. This latest setback is a gut punch for a player who was just starting to hit his stride in the tournament. The 23-year-old had been one of Spain’s most dynamic attacking threats, using his pace to stretch defenses and create chances for Alvaro Morata and Pedri.
The play that broke everything
Williams described the incident as one of the worst days of his life. In his Instagram post, he wrote: “Yesterday I suffered a new injury after an incident in which a fellow professional acted out of frustration. It was a play that could have been avoided.”
Replays show de la Cruz coming in late with a lunging tackle that caught Williams’ plant leg. De la Cruz didn’t get a card on the play. Fans and Spanish media have since hammered the referee for not protecting Williams, considering his injury history was well-known.
Spain’s medical staff is monitoring him day to day. But the vibe from camp is pessimistic, according to sources close to the team. Williams promised to “keep fighting to smile again on a football pitch,” which reads like a guy bracing for bad news.
This whole situation puts Spain in a tough spot. They lost a key creator just as knockout rounds get real. Luis de la Fuente’s squad has depth, but nobody else on the roster brings Williams’ specific mix of direct running and two-footed finishing. If he can’t go, Spain might have to shift their entire approach.
For Williams, it’s a career crossroads. He spent years managing the pubalgia. Now this. Athletic Club fans are holding their breath too. His summer transfer value was climbing, and a serious injury could mess with whatever move was brewing.
The only certainty is that de la Cruz’s tackle changed everything. Williams said what a lot of players think but won’t say out loud. And now the World Cup might be over for him because of one reckless second.
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