Enzo Alves battles injury to keep Spain's U17 World Cup spot

The morning at La Fabrica was marked by a flurry of headlines. Iker Casillas announced that he is pulling both of his children out of the academy for sporting reasons. Later, attention turned to another La Fabrica prodigy, Enzo Alves, who now faces a race against time to be fit for the upcoming U-17 World Cup.

Injury clouds Alves' World Cup hopes

Alves, the son of Real Madrid legend Marcelo, was forced off injured during his side’s youth clash with Rayo Vallecano and is now doubtful for the tournament in Qatar. Diario AS reported that he was withdrawn in the first half of Real Madrid Juvenil A’s match against Rayo after feeling discomfort during a challenge.

Early indications point to a possible psoas injury, the deep hip flexor linking the lower spine to the upper leg. He will undergo medical tests over the coming days, with his condition in the next few hours crucial to his chances.

Spain coach David Cubillo, who has called up the squad, would suffer a significant setback if Alves misses the tournament. La Roja begin their group stage at the U17 World Cup against China on 20 November, then face Fiji on 23 November and Morocco thereafter.

As Marcelo’s son, Alves hoped to carve his own reputation by starring for Spain, and he is widely regarded as a promising La Fabrica product. A successful appearance at the World Cup would be a milestone in his early career, making his recovery timeline all the more critical.