Spain have called up Getafe left back Mariano Pernia to replace Chelsea's injured defender Asier del Horno in La Furia Roja's World Cup squad.

Del Horno damaged the area around his Achilles tendon in training last week, and Spain's national team doctor Genaro Borras said the player would be out of action for around three weeks, ruling him out of the Finals.

Argentine-born Pernia obtained dual-nationality with Spain less than two months ago, at the end of April, and was the joint top scorer for Getafe with 10 goals in the Spanish Primera Liga last season.

The 29-year-old was initially left out of the squad after Spain's Head Coach Luis Aragones said his papers had been approved too late, and that his inclusion would be unfair on others who had played during World Cup qualification.

Pernia's call-up instead of Deportivo Coruna's Joan Capdevila - who had been used as cover on the left and been included in pre-World Cup get-togethers -is a bit of a surprise as Pernia had never been called up.

"Our full backs have to be able to get forward," Luis Aragones told a news conference on Thursday.

"Capdevila is perhaps the best in defence but maybe not in attack. I have a clear conscience because I have taken this decision in the best interests of the team and for what I wanted to do with the team.

"I am sorry for Capdevila and in particular for Del Horno, but I couldn't risk being left with only one left back."

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