Lamine Yamal ruled out of Spain’s World Cup clash with Saudi Arabia

Spain forward Lamine Yamal will not start against Saudi Arabia on Sunday after admitting he is not fully fit for the World Cup second group match in Atlanta. Yamal, who entered the tournament with a left hamstring issue, made only a substitute appearance in Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde on Monday. He entered in the 71st minute but could not change the outcome against the tournament debutants. “I’m fine, I feel good, but it’s still too soon,” Yamal told Spanish network RTVE. "It’s unnecessary (to take risks). I’m going through an adaptation process, it’s not the time to play a full match yet. But I can play as many minutes as the coach wants.” The 18-year-old has been managing the injury since before the tournament and remains behind teammate Nico Williams in recovery. Williams, also carrying an injury, has progressed further in his rehabilitation.

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"Physically he’s even better than me," Yamal said. "We’re not in a rush. We have a great team with top-level players and we have to go step by step." Yamal arrived at the World Cup as one of the standout young talents despite his age. He has starred for both Barcelona and Spain, including helping La Roja win the 2024 European Championship and leading Barcelona to the Spanish league title last season. His profile has surged in the United States, where his image features on a large advertisement overlooking Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the venue for Spain’s opening match.

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“I'm taking it naturally, it's something I'm used to,” Yamal said. "I know what I represent both outside of Spain and in Spain. I try to always give my best, that’s what the fans want. If you have your image on that building, it’s because you can do things on the field that people like, things that excite them when they see you play.” Spain faces Saudi Arabia in its second group match before concluding the group stage against Uruguay in Guadalajara.