Fermín López missed the World Cup due to a fracture after helping Barcelona win La Liga, but Spain ultimately won, and he is still considered a member of the world championship team.

About two and a half months ago, Fermín López was looking forward to becoming a world champion while giving his all in the final matches where Barcelona firmly controlled the La Liga title. He fought with all his might for Barcelona and was also a regular in Luis de la Fuente's squad. Hans Flick's trust in him grew daily, and the midfielder from Huelva had an excellent season. However, fate played a cruel trick on him, depriving him of the reward that any player of Fermín's caliber dreams of.

An action driven by his competitiveness and full commitment—he was still battling hard in a match against Betis at Spotify Camp Nou, even though Barcelona had already won La Liga—resulted in a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Fermín risked it all for the club, for La Masia, for the place where his family proudly grew up, and for his many Barcelona fans in Huelva, where he is a true idol. He was expected to be out for three months, which meant he would miss the World Cup.

For a player who has had to fight hard at every stage of his career, the world seemed to collapse. He had just started to reap the rewards—securing a place in Barcelona and becoming a regular in the national team. After this heavy blow, everything started again. First, a tough rehabilitation during the holidays, aiming to continue being a key player for Barcelona in the new season, while knowing that he would not be able to enjoy the unique experience of competing for the World Cup in the United States with his national teammates, an experience Fermín also dreamed of.

Spain eventually won the World Cup, which undoubtedly also belongs to him, even though he did not personally lift the trophy. He did not travel to the United States with Luis de la Fuente's team, but he was a regular in all qualifying matches and should have had a starting spot in the winning team. While this is not enough to console him, Fermín is still a world champion. He watched most of the games on TV, although he admitted that he couldn't watch the first few games due to frustration. He shouldn't have been watching the World Cup with a remote control in his hand, but he did watch the final, just as if he were part of it.

Now, he will once again be an indispensable player for Flick. A year ago, Flick had already blocked any interest from clubs like Chelsea in Fermín, and he made it clear to the sports management and the board that he did not want to hear any possibility of losing Fermín. Fermín was part of Flick's transfer red line. By the standards of midfielders produced by La Masia and entering the first team, Fermín is an atypical midfielder: he possesses the football philosophy of La Masia, has an excellent feel for the ball, and can also score goals. If he doesn't score, he gets angry. He brings verticality to Barcelona's attack and shows ferocity when approaching the box. This is precisely what fascinates Flick.

Now, he needs to dream of another La Liga title—which will be very challenging after Real Madrid missed out on the title for two consecutive seasons—and the Champions League, the holy grail Barcelona has been chasing for over a decade, repeatedly coming close but never quite getting there. Fermín has already started running training at St. George's Park, and he will once again be a key player for Flick, although the competition will be very intense. He will compete with friends like Olmo. It is touching and reassuring to see one person celebrate another's goal, even though they compete for the same position. This is what makes him special. He is a top player and a world champion.

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