Lamine Yamal says he won’t play full 90 mins vs Saudi Arabia

Lamine Yamal said he will not play the full 90 minutes against Saudi Arabia in Spain’s World Cup group match, calling it very early and unnecessary while he regains fitness. He previously featured for 22 minutes against Cape Verde and is still recovering from a left‑leg hamstring injury sustained at the end of the season.

Yamal explained to RTVE that the situation was premature. “It’s very early, it’s unnecessary, I’m still in the process of getting back up to speed, it’s not the time to play a full match, but I can play however many minutes the coach wants.”

He added that his friend Nico Williams is currently physically better, saying “Physically he’s even better than me right now.” Yamal emphasized that there is no rush because the squad contains many top‑level players.

Assessing the opening 6‑0 victory over Cape Verde, Yamal said the result “means nothing” and noted that draws are common, stating “There was a lot of fuss over a draw, but in the end a lot of national teams have drawn — it doesn’t mean anything.”

Looking ahead to the second game, he warned “Obviously on Sunday we have to win because we’re among the favorites.” The player stressed the importance of securing a win to stay in contention.

When asked about comparisons with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, Yamal replied that his style differs and he does not aim to “score 16 goals and then get knocked out in the semifinals.”

He called Messi “the best in history,” named Neymar as his idol, and concluded “If we don’t face them in the round of 16 (Argentina), then maybe in the final. We’re Spain and we want to play against the best.”