Ferran Torres withdraws from Spain squad as Carlos Espí earns first senior call-up

Torres released following persistent ankle pain

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ferran Torres has left the Spanish national team camp after failing to overcome persistent discomfort in his left ankle. The Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed the withdrawal on Friday, October 2, following medical consultations held in close coordination with staff from the French club. Torres had started the opening 2026-2027 Nations League match against England at Wembley but did not feature in the subsequent fixture against Croatia in Seville. Federation medical staff explained that while the forward had trained throughout the week, ongoing discomfort prevented full participation. The federation explained the decision to release the forward in an official statement.

Due to the persistence of the symptoms, the decision was made to withdraw him from the squad to prioritise his recovery.

Rapid promotion for Carlos Espí

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente called up 21-year-old Real Madrid striker Carlos Espí to replace Torres for the remaining two fixtures of this international window. The promotion came one day after the forward from Tavernes de la Valldigna delivered five goals and two assists in Spain Under-21s' 13-0 European Championship qualifying win over San Marino on Thursday. That performance marked Espí's first start for the Under-21 side and set a new scoring mark for the youth category. Espí joined Real Madrid from Levante during the summer transfer window and has already registered two match-winning goals in domestic competition against Espanyol and Elche.

Growing list of physical setbacks for Spain

Torres represents the fifth player to withdraw due to physical issues from the initial squad announced by De la Fuente on September 18. Defender Pedro Porro was unable to join the camp before training began, prompting the selection of Iván Fresneda as his direct replacement. Eric García then suffered a left knee injury during the pre-match warmup against England and made way for Robin Le Normand. Full-back Alejandro Grimaldo also sustained a muscular issue during the pre-match warmup before the Croatia game in Seville, leading to a call-up for Real Betis defender Fran García. Winger Nico Williams subsequently left the squad on Thursday after suffering a left thigh muscular problem against Croatia, though De la Fuente chose not to replace him.

Schedule in the Nations League

Spain now prepares for the next phase of its four-match Nations League schedule, with Espí available to make his senior international debut. The team hosts the Czech Republic in Oviedo on Saturday, October 3, before travelling to Split to face Croatia on Tuesday, October 6. The call-up brings the number of Real Madrid players in the current Spain squad to three, contrasting with the previous World Cup roster that featured none. De la Fuente and his technical staff will look to secure points in these two fixtures while managing an altered squad roster impacted by multiple training and warmup injuries.