Spain vs. Cape Verde: Lamine Yamal injury update as Luis de la Fuente faces World Cup selection dilemma

Lamine Yamal is in perfect physical condition, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has claimed ahead of his side's clash with Cape Verde on Monday.

The World Cup is in full swing, and Spain will have their chance to take control of Group H by getting the better of Cape Verde.

There have been some concerns regarding the fitness of star winger Yamal, who sustained a hamstring injury in April while playing for Barcelona.

He has not played a game for either club or country since, and his participation in the group stage of the World Cup was in doubt.

However, Spanish head coach De La Fuente has since revealed that Yamal should be ready to play a significant role on Monday.

Should Lamine Yamal start against Cape Verde?

Spain are the current champions of Europe having won Euro 2024, and only 2022 World Cup winners Argentina are ranked above them by FIFA in their global table of international football teams.

Cape Verde sit 67th in the FIFA's rankings, and they have never previously competed at the World Cup as an independent nation.

Anything other than a win for the Spanish would be an immense shock, and La Roja should be expected to get the better of their opponents regardless of whether Yamal plays.

Managing the 18-year-old's minutes will be vital if they want him to maintain his availability throughout the tournament, so perhaps starting him from the bench on Monday would be the sensible move.

Spain at the World Cup: How important is Lamine Yamal?

Yamal's influence at Euro 2024 was unexpected given he was just 16 when the tournament began, but he was arguably the best player at the competition, scoring once and providing four assists.

One of those assists came in the final against England, and he has since netted three times and provided four assists in 25 games for Spain.

The 18-year-old should not be judged entirely on direct goal involvements considering he is also an excellent dribbler, and many of his most creative moments have often allowed others to set up chances.

Yamal must play a significant role in the knockouts if Spain are to be crowned world champions, so ensuring he is fit for the long-term should be seen as a top priority.