Spain manager gives Lamine Yamal injury update ahead of World Cup final
· Yahoo Sports
NEW YORK — Spain manager Luis de la Fuente gave an injury update that all fans of the European team will be thrilled to hear Friday, July 17, two days before his squad takes on Argentina in the final of the World Cup.
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Teenage attacker Lamine Yamal played all 90 minutes of Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the semifinal, but as Spain returned to the training ground on Thursday, both Yamal and right back Pedro Porro worked separately from the group. The Spain boss, however, says he's not concerned after seeing both players go into full training in a session closed to the media on Friday.
"Lamine is good. Today all the players trained well," De la Fuente said. "Tomorrow we have the last training session. It’s one of the most critical moments, thinking that there can’t be any delays because you won't make the game if there were some sort of adverse circumstance − hopefully not. But they’re all good."
The 19-year-old Yamal was seen limping after drawing a penalty in the 20th minute of the semifinal, having been taken out by France left back Lucas Digne when going for a ball lofted into the air near the edge of the area. Yamal came into the 2026 World Cup with a hamstring concern, having missed the end of Barcelona's La Liga-winning season − though he still was named the top player in La Liga after scoring 16 goals and adding 11 assists in 28 league matches.
"He took a strong blow, when he won the penalty the other day. We call it, colloquially, a 'bocadillo,' it’s in his hamstring and it's very painful but he put up with it and got through the match perfectly," De la Fuente said. "Yesterday, we preferred for him to rest, it was a quote unquote rest day.
"Today he’s been participating with the other teammates … he’s good. There’s no problem with him. He’s in perfect physical conditions."
Yamal has played all but five minutes for Spain in the knockout stage, contributing to the attack with actions like drawing the penalty against France and playing a part in the build-up, but he is yet to score a goal − hoping to do so in his first-ever World Cup final.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Spain manager gives Lamine Yamal injury update ahead of World Cup final