MADRID — Coach Luis de la Fuente of Spain stated he anticipates that Lamine Yamal will be ready to participate in the team’s World Cup opener.
During a press conference on Wednesday, De la Fuente mentioned that Yamal would not feature in Thursday’s warm-up match against Iraq in A Coruña, but all indications suggest he will be fit to play against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15.
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“If there are no changes, he should be ready for June 15,” De la Fuente said. “However, that doesn’t guarantee he’ll play; we’ll have to assess his condition. He may only get a few minutes or just training to improve his readiness for the next match.”
Yamal suffered a left hamstring injury while taking a penalty for Barcelona on April 22. He expressed concern this week about potentially missing the World Cup and hoped for a swift recovery in time for the tournament that starts on June 11 in North America.
The 18-year-old is seen as a key player for the Spain team aiming for their second world title.
In addition to Yamal, De la Fuente confirmed that two other injured players — Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz — will also miss Wednesday’s match, along with those who participated in the Champions League final.
Spain’s final warm-up match will occur against Peru in Mexico on Monday, although De la Fuente did not disclose his lineup for that game.
Following their opener against Cape Verde in Group H, Spain will face Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta, and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara.
Since winning their only World Cup title in 2010, Spain has not advanced beyond the round of 16 in subsequent tournaments.
“We are all eager to kick off the tournament and aim for a successful campaign,” De la Fuente remarked.