Young superstar Lamine Yamal was not in the starting XI for the Spanish national team in their FIFA World Cup opener against Cabo Verde on Monday.
Yamal suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the final weeks of the La Liga season for Barcelona, but the team announced on Sunday that the 18-year-old is considered in “ideal condition” to compete at this tournament.
“We are following the indications of medical staff from Barcelona, his club, and also from the Spanish national team, with the fitness coaches. Everything says that Lamine Yamal is ready to play tomorrow,” Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente said at a news conference on Sunday. “We don’t know how much. It is a matter of how the game is evolving, the game situation, that gives you a hint of when he might jump on the pitch, but he is in ideal condition to play tomorrow.”
Yamal has established himself as arguably the brightest emerging talent in Europe after helping Spain win the European Championship in 2024, despite only turning 17 on the eve of the final.
He is widely regarded as the player most likely to take over from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as soccer’s biggest star.
In 28 matches with Barcelona in the 2025-26 season, the forward had 16 goals and 11 assists. He has six goals in 25 national appearances with the men’s team.
“Lamine Yamal is ready to play a few minutes and our medical team agree on that decision. Otherwise he wouldn’t be even on the bench,” de la Fuente said.
Spain’s one World Cup title came in 2010, when, like now, it entered the tournament as European champion. It is the co-favorite with France to win the title.
“This is just recognition for everything we have done to come this far,” de la Fuente said. “We are humble. We know how difficult it is to win any match and to win the World Cup.”
Cabo Verde is playing in its first World Cup and is the third-smallest country ever to qualify. It is not expected to pull off a historic upset against Spain.
De la Fuente, however, said there was no danger of his players underestimating their opponent.
“They might be one of the teams springing a surprise in this World Cup,” he said.
