Spain could begin its participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ without one of its biggest stars. Lamine Yamal is going through a race-against-time recovery process due to a muscular injury that puts his presence in the opening matches of the tournament in doubt.

The FC Barcelona forward suffered a hamstring injury in his left leg on April 22 during a LaLiga match against Celta de Vigo. The discomfort appeared after taking a penalty, and he has since been out of action during the final stretch of the season.

Initially, within the Spanish national team environment there was optimism about a quick recovery. However, as the weeks went by, the outlook changed and the main priority is now to avoid any setback that could worsen the injury during the World Cup.

According to current recovery timelines, Yamal is not expected to be fit in time for Spain’s debut against Cape Verde, scheduled for June 15. In addition, his participation in the second group-stage match against Saudi Arabia on June 21 is also considered highly unlikely.

The main concern is not only the injury itself, but the physical demands of the tournament. The coaching staff believes that rushing his return could lead to more serious consequences in a season in which the player has accumulated a heavy workload with both Barcelona and the national team.

Despite this, his place in the final squad is not in danger. Within Luis de la Fuente’s team, he is considered a key player and there is confidence that he could become decisive in the later stages of the tournament.

The current projection suggests a possible return in Spain’s final group-stage match on June 26 against Uruguay, provided his medical progress continues positively.

Meanwhile, the Spanish federation continues to closely monitor every step of his recovery, aware that Lamine Yamal’s presence could be crucial for the team’s ambitions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.

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