Lamine Yamal Injury Update: Barcelona Star Set to Miss Spain's World Cup Opener

Lamine Yamal enjoyed a spectacular domestic campaign with Barcelona, cementing his status as one of global football's brightest attacking talents.

The 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up made 45 appearances across all competitions in his third full season with the senior squad, playing a pivotal role as Barcelona successfully defended their La Liga title. Despite struggling with pubalgia during the first half of the season, the winger delivered incredible production, registering 24 goals and 16 assists for the Catalan club.

Following his domestic heroics, the teenager is expected to be a centerpiece of Spain's roster for this summer's World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Spain's 26-man World Cup squad will be officially announced

on Monday, May 25. To ensure Yamal's readiness, the Spanish Football Association (RFEF) has maintained close contact with Barcelona, with RFEF medical staff making regular visits to monitor his progress. Additionally, club officials recently met with the RFEF to discuss a specific rehabilitation programme for his return.

Despite these collaborative efforts, Yamal is expected to miss the start of Spain's World Cup campaign as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained during a La Liga victory over Celta Vigo last month. The 18-year-old is set to be sidelined for Spain's group-stage opener against Cape Verde on June 15. Furthermore, sources indicate that he is currently a major doubt for Spain's second group match against Saudi Arabia on June 21.

Yamal's recent physical setbacks have highlighted a lingering conflict between Barcelona and the Spanish national team regarding how his minutes and injuries are managed. The tension boiled over in September when Barca head coach Hansi Flick accused Spain of "not taking care of its players". Flick's criticism came after Yamal took painkillers to play during an international window, only to return to Barcelona with a groin injury that forced him to miss four club matches.

Flick later doubled down on his comments, citing his primary duty to "protect" the young winger. In October, Yamal suffered a recurrence of the groin issue just hours after being named to Spain's squad, though Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente, firmly defended the national team's protocols. "Here, we take zero risks," De la Fuente stated, insisting that any player who joins the camp is judged fully fit to play.

"Whoever comes in, comes in healthy, fit to play. And when they go back home, it is because we have judged there was a risk in staying with us," he added.

As Spain prepares for their final warm-up friendlies against Iraq and Peru in early June, the immediate focus remains squarely on Yamal's rehabilitation. Both Barcelona and the Spanish national setup are relying on a conservative treatment plan to ensure their star forward can safely return to the pitch before the knockout stages of the tournament.