Good News for Nico Williams: Only Three Weeks Out… and Ready for the World Cup!

Medical tests ruled out a serious hamstring injury for Nico Williams, keeping the Athletic Club winger on track to play for Spain at the 2026 World Cup.

Spain and Athletic Club have received a huge boost after medical tests confirmed that Nico Williams’ injury is not as serious as initially feared. The winger is expected to be sidelined for only three weeks, meaning he should be available for the 2026 World Cup without major complications.

The scans carried out on Monday ruled out any tendon damage, which had been the biggest concern for both Athletic and the Spanish national team after the player suffered a hamstring injury during the match against Valencia.

Although Nico will need to follow a careful recovery plan, the outlook is optimistic. In theory, he could even be fit in time for Spain’s opening World Cup match against Cape Verde on June 15. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente had reportedly been prepared to wait until the second or third group-stage match if necessary, but the latest medical update now offers hope that the winger could return sooner.

The injury initially caused major alarm after Nico left the pitch in visible discomfort. His brother, Iñaki Williams, admitted after the match that the feelings inside the dressing room were not positive. De la Fuente closely monitored the situation, hoping not to lose one of Spain’s key attacking stars ahead of the tournament.

Fortunately for Spain, the diagnosis confirmed only a moderate hamstring issue in Nico’s left leg — an injury that should heal within approximately three weeks. The timeline could even allow him to begin training with the squad once the team arrives in the United States for the World Cup preparations.

There is still some uncertainty about whether Nico will be ready for Spain’s friendly match in A Coruña on June 4, but expectations for the World Cup opener remain positive. In addition, the coaching staff may choose to manage his minutes carefully during the early stages of the tournament.

De la Fuente is also monitoring the fitness of several other attacking players, including Lamine Yamal, Mikel Merino and Víctor Muñoz. Of the three, Muñoz appears to have the least serious issue after suffering a minor calf injury and is expected to recover fully in time for the competition if selected.

For now, Spain can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that one of the heroes of their recent European Championship triumph remains on course to play on football’s biggest stage.