Nico Williams cleared for Spain's World Cup quarter‑final vs Belgium

Spain winger Nico Williams has been cleared to resume training after a hamstring/groin injury that sidelined him during the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He is expected to be available on the bench for Spain’s quarter‑final match against Belgium in Los Angeles.

Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente has kept the rest of the squad unchanged, with Alex Baena filling the left‑wing role in Williams’ absence. The announced lineup includes Unai Simón, Pedro Porro, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Fabian, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and Mikel Oyarzabal.

In parallel, crypto exchange Kraken was named FIFA’s official crypto partner for the tournament, marking the first formal alliance of its kind. Two experimental Solana‑based fan tokens, $NICO and $YAMAL, linked to Williams and teammate Lamine Yamal, trade with market caps under $10,000 and negligible volume, highlighting the stark contrast between institutional crypto sponsorship and low‑liquidity micro‑tokens.