2026 World Cup: Spain, Barcelona star Lamine Yamal reveals injury fears ahead of debut tournament - I was afraid’
Published 31/05/2026 at 21:40 GMT+1
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Spain star Lamine Yamal said that his recent hamstring injury left him "afraid" that he might miss this summer's World Cup.
‘He would not leave the pitch without a reason’ – Flick gives update on Yamal injury
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Yamal sustained the injury on April 22 in Barcelona's home game against Celta Vigo and missed the remaining six league games as a result.
Barcelona still went on to comfortably wrap up the La Liga title but doubts over whether Yamal would be fit to feature for Spain at the World Cup - which will be played in the US, Canada and Mexico - lingered.
Last week, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente named the teenager in their 26-man squad for the tournament and said that he is expected to be fit to feature at some point.
Yamal confessed that his injury left him worried he could miss the first World Cup of his professional career.
"I never had a hamstring injury like that but I knew that it wasn't going to be a short recovery time," Yamal told the Spanish football federation in an interview.
"I was afraid that it was something serious or that it could relapse and that I would miss the World Cup."
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Yamal was injured after converting a first-half penalty against Celta, immediately signalling to the bench that he was injured.
"I remember the play in which I got injured," Yamal said. "I was praying inside for it not to be serious, for it to be a cramp or something like that, because I knew the World Cup was very close."
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Yamal could miss Spain's opening game, against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15, while he continues to recover. They then face Saudi Arabia on June 21 in the same stadium and Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara.
Despite being one of the youngest members of Spain's squad, Yamal is already one of the most important.
The winger played a vital role in Spain's victory at Euro 2024, being named in the team of the tournament despite being just 16 years old for most of it.
He arrives at the World Cup off the back of his most prolific season for Barcelona, scoring 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.
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Flick: ‘Motivated’ Yamal ready to challenge for Ballon d’Or again next year
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And he will likely play a key role in Spain trying to win their second World Cup title, injury permitting.
"The moment has finally arrived," Yamal said. "I think that ever since the European Championship ended, we've all been thinking about this day, and we are all very excited.
"We will enter the tournament as the European champions, and we are going to give it everything we have."
Although he is just 18, Yamal already has 25 caps and six goals for Spain's senior national side.
Yamal's fitness is not the only injury concern for De la Fuente, with Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams also facing his own race to get fit for the tournament.
Williams, who also played a vital role in the Euro 2024 victory, missed the final three games of Bilbao's season with a hamstring injury but is in Spain's squad.
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