The Cuban national team has lost another player on its journey to the World Cup in Uzbekistan. On Friday the 23rd, goalkeeper Harold Aguilera Castillo left the team in Viseu (Portugal) after a friendly against Ukraine. Then, on Tuesday the 27th, it was Leonardo Hierrezuelo Puente’s turn. The young goalkeeper took the opportunity to leave when the Cuban delegation arrived in Huelva. At 20 years old and born in Havana, Hierrezuelo is considered one of the country’s most promising talents, known for his physical presence and excellent footwork. He was aiming to challenge Kevin Rueda for the starting position.
Journalist Andy Lans reported the news in Play-Off Magazine, and Hierrezuelo was later found in a location in Spain, which he chose not to disclose. “I came to Spain looking for a better future,” Hierrezuelo explained. “It wasn’t planned. I called a friend here, and he helped me out.” He mentioned that he had not informed his teammates to avoid involving them. After traveling from Huelva to Madrid, he is now resting in a safe place. “I’ve spoken to my family,” he added. Although he regrets missing the World Cup, he emphasized that his future is more important. Hierrezuelo is now adjusting to life as an immigrant in Spain. “I’m going to try to find work,” he said, while expressing his desire to pursue his passion for futsal. However, his priority is to regularize his immigration status and find a stable income.
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Cuba, which has also lost its star Harold Aguilera, now has only one goalkeeper in its 12-player squad, below the 14 allowed by FIFA. The logistics and visa issues complicate the possibility of the Cuban Football Association completing the official squad list for coach Osmel Valdivia before traveling to Uzbekistan on September 9. Cuba currently has 10 available players, as they await the recovery of injured Yoannis Ríos and the release of Jonathan Hernández, who remains tied to the Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys. The team is set to play a friendly against Real Betis Futsal, the reigning King’s Cup champion, and has been invited to attend the Conference League match between Betis and FC Kryvbas at Benito Villamarín on the 29th.
Cuba, runner-up in the CONCACAF Championship, is grouped with Brazil, Thailand, and Croatia in the World Cup. Their performance in their sixth FIFA World Cup appearance is uncertain, especially after suffering heavy defeats to Portugal, Ukraine, and Costa Rica in recent matches. Over the past nine months, Cuba has lost five key players to defections during international competitions and training camps. Besides the recent cases of Aguilera and Hierrezuelo, winger Lázaro Castro left the team in April during the Pre-World Cup in Nicaragua, and Ernesto Duanes and Bárbaro Sheiler defected in November 2023 during friendlies in Costa Rica.