Samu Aghehowa, Confirmed Out for Spain in the 2026 World Cup
Spanish forward Samu Aghehowa will miss the 2026 World Cup due to an injury. The player suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a match with FC Porto.
The Portuguese club announced that Aghehowa will undergo further medical evaluations to determine the full extent of the injury. However, this type of injury generally requires a recovery period of at least six months.
The 21-year-old attacker was injured last Monday in the 1-1 draw against Sporting CP, corresponding to the Portuguese League. Aghehowa had to leave the field in the last minutes of the first half showing obvious signs of pain. Although he tried to return after receiving medical assistance, he was substituted at halftime.
Aghehowa, trained in Spanish football, played for Deportivo Alavés before joining the Portuguese team, where he has had an outstanding season with 20 goals, 13 of them in the league.
The injury not only sidelines him from the end of the season with Porto, but also from the upcoming commitments of the national team led by Luis de la Fuente, including the Finalissima and the friendly scheduled for March in Qatar.
Furthermore, his recovery casts doubt on his presence at the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The absence of Aghehowa represents a hard blow for the Spanish national team, which loses one of its most promising forwards at a crucial moment in the World Cup cycle.
