Lamine Yamal is expected to miss Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury, dealing a significant early setback to the Spain national football team’s tournament plans.
The FC Barcelona winger has been unavailable since sustaining the problem while scoring against Celta Vigo in La Liga in April, an incident that abruptly ended his domestic season and raised early concerns over his fitness heading into a major international summer.
Lamine Yamal’s injury occurred during Barcelona’s 1-0 La Liga victory over Celta Vigo, when he converted a penalty before immediately pulling up in visible discomfort and requiring medical attention.
He was later withdrawn from the contest, with medical staff confirming a left hamstring injury the following day, ruling him out of the final six league fixtures of Barcelona’s season.
Recovery updates suggest the 18-year-old is unlikely to feature in Spain’s opening group match on June 15, with sources indicating a cautious rehabilitation plan being followed jointly by FC Barcelona and the Spanish Football Association.
Officials from the Royal Spanish Football Federation have maintained contact with Barcelona’s medical department, including regular visits to Catalonia to assess his progress and determine a realistic return timeline.
Both clubs are aligned on prioritising a full recovery, with no definitive return date set as the medical teams continue to evaluate his response to treatment on a day-to-day basis.
Doubts now surround Yamal’s participation in Spain’s second group fixture against Saudi Arabia on June 21, with his availability for the final group game against Uruguay also uncertain.
Spain are monitoring the situation closely as they aim to ensure the winger is not rushed back too quickly, given his importance to their long-term tournament ambitions.