Spain goes into Monday's World Cup opener against Cabo Verde in Atlanta with its entire squad available, weeks after a string of late-season injuries forced the team to adjust its preparation — and Nico Williams trained with the group one day before the match.
Williams, who tore a hamstring in May while playing for Athletic Bilbao and missed the rest of the club season, rejoined Spain's sessions alongside Lamine Yamal one day before the opener; Victor Muñoz returned to training on the preceding Friday. Mikel Merino and Fabián Ruiz had also been absent during the buildup but were back in the group as Spain completed a training camp in Tennessee. Fermín López, however, did not arrive in time after suffering a fractured foot.
The timing matters because Spain had to repair availability at the last minute ahead of a schedule that places two group matches in Atlanta — the opener against Cabo Verde on Monday and a second group game against Saudi Arabia on June 21 — before finishing the pool against Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Even with Williams fit enough to train, coach Luis de la Fuente was expected not to start him against Cabo Verde in Atlanta, a decision that underlines Spain's caution after a hamstring injury kept the winger out for weeks. The technical staff has indicated Williams is more likely to be fully recovered for the Saudi Arabia match on June 21, when the team will have an extra midfield and wing option to deploy if needed.
Spain's wider recovery sharpens the selection picture: the squad that won the 2024 European Championship and carried high expectations into the World Cup has spent the last weeks juggling rehabilitation and minutes management. The late returns give de la Fuente choices, but they do not erase the compressed window to assess match fitness; Spain trained in Tennessee to prepare for the different conditions they will face in Atlanta and Guadalajara.
The practical storyline for Monday is straightforward. Expect a Spain starting XI that prioritizes freshness and continuity early on, with Williams available as a controlled option from the bench. Coverage of the squad's final choices appears alongside the confirmed XI, and readers can find related team news such as Mikel Oyarzabal's selection in the matchup coverage here: Mikel Oyarzabal named in Spain XI as Nico Williams declared available for opener.
The unresolved question going into kickoff is not whether Spain can field eleven capable players — it can — but how quickly Williams can be trusted for meaningful minutes. The most likely scenario, based on the sequence of returns and the coach's expected approach, is a cautious introduction in Atlanta followed by a clearer role on June 21 against Saudi Arabia, when the staff anticipate he will be nearer full fitness.
Spain leaves Tennessee with a full complement and a selection dilemma shaped by recovery rather than absence; whether Nico Williams becomes a decisive contributor in this tournament will depend less on the fact of his availability and more on whether the medical and coaching staff are confident to ramp his minutes up for the second group game in Atlanta.
