World Cup 2026: Spain’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal recovers from injury, to play against Cape Verde

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that young star Lamine Yamal is fully fit and available for the team’s opening World Cup match against Cape Verde. However, he is expected to start the game on the bench.

The Barcelona winger has been recovering from an injury he suffered on April 22 and has been working hard to regain full fitness before the tournament.

Speaking ahead of Spain’s first Group H match in Atlanta, De la Fuente said Yamal is now in excellent condition.

“The good news is that Lamine is in perfect condition,” the coach said. “He has reached the level we wanted him to be at. He is fine, just like Nico Williams and Victor Muñoz.”

Williams and Muñoz had also been dealing with injuries, but all three players trained normally with the squad on Sunday.

According to De la Fuente, Spain’s medical team has cleared Yamal to play.

“The doctors say Lamine can play without any problems,” he said. “He may not be ready for a full 90 minutes, but he can certainly play some minutes if needed.”

The coach added that Williams is in a similar situation and could also feature if the match requires it.

De la Fuente also dismissed concerns that left-back Marc Cucurella could be distracted by reports linking him with a move from Chelsea to Real Madrid.

He praised Cucurella’s quality and experience, saying he has known the player since he was 17 years old.

“Cucurella may be one of the best left-backs in the world,” De la Fuente said.

Spain have been drawn in Group H and will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay in the group stage of the World Cup.