Lamine Yamal will wear number 19 for Spain at this summer's FIFA World Cup — the same shirt number Lionel Messi wore on his Argentina debut. Whether that's symbolic, superstitious, or just logistical, the football world will make something of it either way.
The 18-year-old has actually worn 19 throughout his international career since debuting in September 2023, including during Spain's Euro 2024 title run. The number 10 he wore at Barcelona this past season goes to Dani Olmo for the tournament, who has carried it for Spain since 2024. Clean handover, no drama — but the Messi parallel is the headline, and it'll follow Yamal into every press conference in the United States.
No Real Madrid, no problem — Spain back themselves
The squad itself is worth a look. Luis de la Fuente's 26-man selection contains zero Real Madrid players, reportedly due to a trophyless domestic season from the club. That's historically unusual for Spain, who have leaned on Madrid's spine through multiple tournament cycles. It says something about where the balance of power currently sits in Spanish football — and about how much de la Fuente trusts this Barcelona and Atletico-heavy core.
Spain land in Group H alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Their opener is June 15 in Atlanta against Cape Verde — a match they'll be heavy favourites to win. Uruguay are the credible threat in the group, but Spain's squad depth makes an early exit look unlikely. If you're pricing up Group H winners, Spain's route to the knockouts is as clean as any top team's draw gets.
Yamal starts the tournament as one of the most-watched players on the planet. At 18, coming off a Champions League-winning season with Barcelona and a European Championship with Spain, the expectations are already stratospheric. The number on his back won't add pressure — the CV already did that.
