Lamine Yamal made the bench for Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde
Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal will not start La Roja’s 2026 World Cup opener against Cape Verde, with head coach Luis de la Fuente confirming the teenager is ready for a substitute role as he continues to recover from injury. The 18-year-old is fit enough to be involved but lacks full fitness ahead of Monday’s Group H clash.
Spain head into the tournament as one of the favorites after winning Euro 2024 and boast a squad packed with attacking talent. De la Fuente revealed in his pre-match press conference that Yamal, along with Nico Williams and Victor Munoz, are available but unlikely to start.
“The good news is that Lamine is very fit,” De la Fuente told reporters.
“He’s following the process and he’s in good shape, he’s training very well, as are the rest of his colleagues who have had some injuries. They’re all available and they won’t be able to play from the start of the game.”
The Spanish boss added that any decision regarding Yamal’s involvement will depend entirely on how the game develops.
“We will have to wait and see how the game develops and then decide how they can contribute to the team.”
“It’s a matter of logic, how the game develops, the game situation.
Yamal has not played a competitive match since April after a bout with a combination of groin and hamstring problems. The Barcelona star also missed Spain’s recent warm-up matches, leading to concerns over whether he will be available for the group stage opener.
Despite those concerns, De la Fuente insisted the teenager’s recovery remains on track as Spain prepare to launch their latest bid for World Cup glory.
IS LAMINE YAMAL INJURED AT THE WORLD CUP?
Yamal arrived at the tournament with fitness concerns after missing the final stages of the domestic season.
The 18-year-old has been sidelined with hamstring and groin problems for several weeks, forcing him to miss Spain’s recent pre-World Cup friendlies.
There were initially fears that the Barcelona winger could miss Spain’s opener altogether and potentially face a race against time to be ready for the second group stage match against Saudi Arabia.
However, the Spanish medics gradually increased his workload, allowing him to return to full training with the team. While he is not yet ready for 90 minutes, De la Fuente’s comments suggest the youngster is close to a full recovery.
WILL LAMINE YAMAL PLAY SPAIN VS CAPAVERDE?
Yes, Yamal is expected to start against Cape Verde, although probably off the bench.
De la Fuente confirmed that the teenager is available for selection and could be introduced depending on the state of the match. Spain want to avoid rushing one of their most important players back too quickly, especially with Saudi Arabia and Uruguay still remaining in Group H.
As the reigning European champions begin their World Cup campaign, our focus will be on securing three points. If the match situation allows, fans could finally see Yamal make his long-awaited return and take his first steps on football’s biggest stage in 2026.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
15 Jun 2026 05:19 IST