Rodri injury forces Spain out of World Cup qualifiers, as the Manchester City star suffers a hamstring setback ahead of games against Georgia and Bulgaria

Rodri injury has dealt a major blow to Spain’s World Cup qualifying campaign, as the Manchester City midfielder was confirmed absent from the national squad on Monday due to a hamstring problem.

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The Spanish Football Federation announced that the 29-year-old will miss upcoming fixtures against Georgia and Bulgaria on October 11 and 14 respectively.

“Rodri is out of the squad because of injury,” Spain said in a brief statement, without specifying how long the midfielder would be sidelined.

The Manchester City star limped off just 21 minutes into Sunday’s Premier League match against Brentford after feeling discomfort in his hamstring. Speaking afterwards, he admitted he had “felt a sharp pain” and did not want to risk aggravating it further.

Rodri, who was instrumental in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph and crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, has endured a difficult run of fitness issues.

He missed most of last season with a knee injury sustained in September 2024 before returning in the summer.

Spain have not confirmed whether a replacement will be called up, although coach Luis de la Fuente recently added Celta Vigo forward Borja Iglesias to replace injured Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal.

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The loss of Rodri is a significant setback for La Roja, who rely heavily on his leadership and composure in midfield. His absence will test Spain’s depth as they aim to maintain momentum in the World Cup qualifying campaign.