"I was afraid that it was something serious or that I would miss the World Cup." That was Lamine Yamal, speaking to the RFEF after a hamstring injury on April 22 brought his La Liga season to a sudden halt. Two weeks out from the tournament, Spain's most dangerous attacker looks like he'll be fine — but only just.
Yamal went down during Barcelona's 1-0 win over Celta Vigo, of all moments, taking the match-winning penalty just before half-time. Barcelona confirmed the following day that he'd follow a conservative treatment plan and miss the rest of the league season, with the World Cup pencilled in as a target return date.
Yamal could start the opener
That target now looks realistic. Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente told Mundo Deportivo he's confident the 18-year-old will be ready — and went further than most coaches typically dare to with injury timelines.
"We knew he was going to arrive in perfect condition, and I would even risk saying that he will be ready for the first game," de la Fuente said. That kind of public confidence from a manager is either genuine optimism or calculated man-management. Either way, Spain's first group game against Cape Verde is approaching fast.
Spain will also face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the group stage as they look to reach the Round of 32. Since their 2010 triumph in South Africa, they've failed to get past the first knockout round in three consecutive tournaments. That record makes Yamal's fitness more than just a squad update — it shifts the entire calculus around whether this Spain side can finally go deep again.
A season that warranted the concern
The anxiety around his injury made sense given what Yamal produced this year: 24 goals and 18 assists across all competitions. Losing him would have left Spain without their most incisive ball-carrier heading into a tournament they're desperate to win as reigning European champions.
"I remember the play in which I got injured. I was praying inside for it not to be serious," Yamal said. "I knew the World Cup was very close."
Spain's World Cup odds look considerably healthier with Yamal on the pitch than without him. De la Fuente's optimism is encouraging — but the next two weeks of training will tell more than any press conference.
