Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente starts the FIFA World Cup opener against Cape Verde without teenage winger Lamine Yamal, according to reports from multiple outlets. NDTV, The Independent, India Today, and The Punch all say Yamal is named on the bench for the match in Atlanta and does not start. NDTV also reports that Nico Williams is left on the bench alongside Yamal, framing the selection as a bold or cautious call by the coach.
Other coverage, including Yahoo Sports, discusses why Yamal is not in the starting XI for this specific game, linking the decision to the team’s lineup approach rather than any longer-term exclusion. Together, the sources present consistent information that Spain makes a significant change at the start of the tournament by holding Yamal out of the starting lineup. The match is described as Spain’s World Cup opener against debutants Cape Verde, with the selection drawing attention because Yamal is one of the tournament’s highest-profile players.
