Spain star Lamine Yamal is expected to miss the start of the 2026 World Cup and is not currently expected to be fit for La Roja’s opening match against Cape Verde on June 15, The Athletic reported Monday.
His participation in Spain’s second match, against Saudi Arabia on June 21, is also considered highly doubtful. Spain hopes he will be able to return in time for its match against Uruguay on June 26.
Yamal, 18, ended a stellar season at Barcelona with 24 goals and 16 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. He injured his hamstring during last month’s win over Celta Vigo and has not played since.
Barcelona said Yamal would undergo a “conservative treatment program.” In recent days, club officials met with the Spanish federation to coordinate his recovery ahead of the tournament, which begins in less than a month in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Spanish federation is closely monitoring Yamal’s condition, with medical officials regularly traveling to Barcelona to assess his progress. Spain had expected Yamal to be one of the World Cup’s main stars after he played a key role in its Euro 2024 title and became one of the national team’s most important players despite his young age.
Yamal also drew attention last week when he waved a Palestinian flag during Barcelona’s championship parade, angering Barcelona fans in Israel and pro-Israel supporters around the world.
Tensions over Yamal’s workload have followed him throughout the season. In September, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick publicly criticized the Spanish federation after the player returned from international duty with a groin injury.
“Young players need to be better protected,” Flick said at the time, later stressing that his role was to “protect” the young star.
Another controversy erupted in October, when Barcelona announced a recurring injury for Yamal just hours after he was called up to the Spain squad. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente insisted that “the national team does not take any risks with players.”
Spain’s final World Cup squad will be announced May 25. Before the tournament, Spain will play two warmup matches: against Iraq in La Coruña on June 4 and against Peru in Mexico four days later.