Lamine Yamal’s hamstring injury is shaping Spain’s approach in the early stages of the World Cup. After the issue emerged when he played for Barcelona, he is reported as still not fully fit but available for Spain’s opening match. Multiple reports say Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente expects Yamal to be in “ideal” condition for Spain’s World Cup debut against Cape Verde, though he is not expected to start. Spain also misses players including Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz for the warm-up ahead of the tournament.
In Spain’s World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia, Yamal scores Spain’s first World Cup goal and a 4-0 victory follows. He is substituted at half-time, and Times of India reports the change was planned before kick-off to manage his workload and keep him fresh. Other outlets similarly frame the substitution as part of careful return management. Yamal publicly says he feared missing the World Cup because of his hamstring injury, but he is now focusing on recovery and availability for subsequent matches. Later reporting indicates he may not start Spain’s second game against Saudi Arabia, with a longer-term strategy to protect him for key fixtures.
