Ahead of the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina, coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed that Lamine Yamal has fully recovered from his injury and is ready to feature in the most important match of his career.
Coach Luis de la Fuente brought good news to Spanish fans when confirming that Lamine Yamal is fully fit to feature in the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina, despite injury concerns following the semifinal against France.
The 19-year-old star is one of La Roja’s most prominent factors on the journey to the final match. However, in the 2-0 victory over France, Yamal was subjected to many fierce tackles, leaving fans anxious as he left the pitch with a limp.
Anxiety grew even further when Barcelona’s young talent did not participate in a training session with the whole team ahead of the final, raising doubts about his ability to feature in the blockbuster clash against Argentina.
Nevertheless, Coach De la Fuente quickly reassured the public in the latest press conference. “Lamine suffered a very heavy blow to a rather painful muscle area, otherwise known as a muscle contusion. We decided to let him rest for a day to avoid any risks. Today, he trained normally with the entire team and is in perfect physical condition.”
The 65-year-old strategist also affirmed that not only Yamal but all Spanish players are ready for the most important match of the tournament. “He is doing very well and so are all of our players. The whole team is in the best shape ahead of the final.”
Yamal entered the 2026 World Cup with a hamstring issue that caused him to end his season with Barcelona earlier than expected. However, Coach De la Fuente used the player very cautiously in the group stage before gradually increasing his playing time in the knockout rounds.
It was Yamal’s speed and technique that won the opening penalty kick in the victory over France, contributing to bringing Spain back to the World Cup final for the first time since 2010.
If he features against Argentina on July 19, Yamal will continue to be La Roja’s greatest hope in the highly anticipated confrontation with Lionel Messi and the reigning world champions.
