Official: José Gayà World Cup dream over; Baldé confirmed as the replacement

While it wasn’t official, we still had hope. Unfortunately for Spain and José Luis Gayà, the left-back will return home after the Federation confirmed that his injury will not allow him to play a part in the World Cup campaign.

The defender suffered a sprained ankle at the end of a routine training session earlier in the week. After a scan, doctors hoped that the results would not be too severe, meaning the player may only miss part of the tournament. However, his worst fears were confirmed today as the Spanish FA have finally confirmed that he will not form part of the squad anymore.

Barcelona’s Baldé the replacement

Shortly after the annoucement of Gayà's departure, the Spanish FA revealed that Barcelona left-back Alejandro Baldé would replace the outgoing Valencia full-back. Baldé is yet to make his debut for the national team but after a strong start to the season with the Catalán club, Luis Enrique has decided that he is the next best option for the squad.

Spain’s World Cup fixtures