Lamine Yamal remarkably injured his own hamstring while taking a penalty kick against Celta Vigo, less than 48 hours after posting a controversial photo of himself eating McDonald’s on a private jet.
On April 22, Yamal was in Madrid attending the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards, where he took home the Breakthrough of the Year award. Following the ceremony, the 18-year-old star posted a photo posing with a tray of McDonald’s fast food aboard a private jet. The flight carried him from Madrid back to Barcelona in under an hour.
A Costly Penalty Kick
On the evening of April 23, Barcelona hosted Celta Vigo at Camp Nou for Matchday 33 of La Liga. Yamal started the match and successfully converted a penalty in the 28th minute to score the game’s only goal. However, immediately after striking the ball, the Spanish winger was seen limping and had to be substituted.
Medical examinations conducted on April 24 confirmed the worst: Yamal suffered a torn left hamstring. Barcelona has officially announced that the teenager will miss the remainder of the domestic season.
World Cup Hopes in Jeopardy
The club now hopes their star forward can recover in time for the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11. Spain is scheduled to play their opening match against Cape Verde on June 15. With an estimated recovery timeline of 6 to 8 weeks, Yamal’s availability for the start of the tournament remains highly uncertain.
Scathing Criticism Over Professionalism
Juan Furlanich, a reporter for the Futbol Total program on DSports, harshly criticized Yamal on live television following the incident. “It is unbelievable that Yamal injured himself while taking a penalty. I’m not joking. He got injured from a penalty kick,” Furlanich stated.
The pundit pointed squarely at the teenager’s dietary choices as a contributing factor. “A player, less than 48 hours before a match, is jokingly eating fast food in the middle of the night on a private jet,” the Argentine reporter added. “I believe none of this is a coincidence. It is related to the consequences of not training properly, not resting enough, not taking care of his body, and accepting unnecessary risks.”
Furlanich emphasized that Yamal wasn’t secretly photographed by paparazzi, but rather proudly showed off the meal on his own social media. Fast food and highly processed meals are heavily discouraged for elite athletes due to excess fat and poor nutritional value. Observers were quick to contrast Yamal’s habits with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who strictly forbids fast food and even famously rejects all carbonated drinks.
Barcelona’s Title Charge Remains Safe
Despite the criticism, there is no denying Yamal’s massive impact this season. He has been Barcelona’s most vital player, racking up 12 goals and 18 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.
Fortunately for the Catalan giants, his injury shouldn’t derail their La Liga campaign. Barcelona currently sits at the top of the table with 85 points, holding an 11-point lead over Real Madrid with just four games remaining. Hansi Flick’s squad already has one hand on the championship trophy.
Yamal Remains Optimistic
At the international level, Yamal—who won Euro 2024 with Spain—is widely expected to be the talisman leading his country’s charge at the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
The 18-year-old remains optimistic despite the massive setback just weeks before his first-ever World Cup. On April 24, Yamal shared an emotional update on Instagram: “This injury takes me off the pitch at a time when I want to play the most. The pain is beyond what I can express. I trust my teammates. I will come back stronger. Thank you everyone for the messages.”
His Barcelona teammates were quick to offer their support, with teammate Marcus Rashford commenting below the post: “Get well soon, little brother.”
