‘Ready to play but not for 90 minutes’ – Spain boss shares Lamine Yamal fitness update

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CHATTANOOGA, UNITED STATES - JUNE 11: (L-R) Lamine Yamal of Spain, Coach Luis de la Fuente of Spain during the Training Spain at the The Baylor School on June 11, 2026 in Chattanooga United States (Photo by Pablo Garcia/Soccrates/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Luis de la Fuente says Lamine Yamal is ready to play in Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde but not for 90 minutes.

Yamal is returning from several weeks out of action due to a hamstring injury and the Spain boss shared an update on the situation ahead of the game.

“He is in condition to participate on Monday. We will assess the circumstances. You have an idea and the game takes you to something else. Lamine is ready to play but not to play the 90 minutes,” he told a press conference.

De la Fuente was then asked if it would be a risk for Yamal to play and offered up the following response.

“Football is a risky activity. In three minutes or 90 minutes you can get injured as there is always risk,” he said.

“We think about the health of the players but we have to think that in a World Cup the first match can be decisive. We will assess how he is.

“The communication with Barça is fantastic, there is an extraordinary collaboration. There is constant contact with Barça but I am the one who will make the decision. I’ll assess whether he has to play or not.”

The feeling is that Yamal will start on the bench on Monday but we’ll have to wait and see what De la Fuente decides.

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