Spain boss cools De La Cruz-Nico Williams row before World Cup tie

In partnership with

Coluna do Fla

·1 Juli 2026

Spain boss cools De La Cruz-Nico Williams row before World Cup tie

What happened between Nico Williams and Flamengo’s De La Cruz?

A heavy challenge in the final minutes of the match between Spain and Uruguay last Friday (26) put De La Cruz, a midfielder for Flamengo, at the center of a controversy. Spanish forward Nico Williams came off worse in the incident, left the field feeling discomfort, and criticized the Rubro-Negro player. Coach Luis de la Fuente, however, tried to cool the controversy and downplayed any friction between the players.

— After talking to me, he was a different person, he seemed to have no discomfort at all (about De la Cruz’s challenge). In the heat of the moment, it’s understandable to say that, to show that you’re hurt -, he said, before concluding:

Video OneFootball

— But the next day, his attitude within the group was completely different, he was cheerful. Nico does not have the injury we thought he had, it’s just a muscle strain, but that discomfort could prevent him from playing in the round of 32 -, the Spain coach concluded to ‘Nacional’ radio.

What happened between Nico Williams and De La Cruz?

The incident happened when the match was already nearing its end. With Uruguay behind on the scoreboard and virtually eliminated from the World Cup, De La Cruz came in hard on a challenge with Nico Williams. The Spanish forward got the worst of the collision, stayed down on the pitch for a few moments, and needed medical treatment.

Although he was able to leave the field, Williams showed significant discomfort and became a concern for Spain’s coaching staff. As a result, the forward is doubtful for the match against Austria this Thursday (02) in the World Cup round of 32.

What did Nico Williams say about De La Cruz?

Yesterday (Friday), I suffered a new injury after an action in which a fellow professional acted out of frustration, dissatisfaction, and sadness over the situation he was going through. It was a play that, in my opinion, could have been avoided because it was completely unnecessary,” Nico Williams wrote on social media when commenting on the incident involving De La Cruz.

What is Nico De La Cruz’s situation now?

While Spain prepares for the World Cup knockout stage, Uruguay has bowed out of the tournament. That is because, after the 1-0 loss in the last round, De La Cruz’s team failed to qualify for the next stage of the world tournament.

As a result, De La Cruz, Arrascaeta, and Varela were given ten days off by Flamengo. Therefore, the players will not be available for the friendlies Rubro-Negro will play during the mid-season break in Portugal.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.