Spain handed early Lamine Yamal World Cup blow as Barcelona wonderkid's recovery timeline 'emerges'

Barcelona attacker Lamine Yamal will reportedly be unavailable for the start of Spain's 2026 World Cup campaign due to the hamstring injury that he sustained at the end of April.

Yamal pulled up with a hamstring issue after scoring a penalty in Barcelona's 1-0 win over Celta Vigo on April 22, and the 18-year-old has missed his side's last five league games.

It had been expected that the teenager would return in plenty of time for the 2026 World Cup, but according to The Athletic, the attacker is set to miss his team's tournament opener against Cape Verde on June 15.

The report claims that Yamal will also be a major doubt for Spain's second group match against Saudi Arabia on June 21.

Spain's final group fixture is against Uruguay on June 26, and it is possible that Yamal could be rested for that game if La Roja have already qualified for the next round.

Yamal could miss Spain's opening two matches of the 2026 World Cup

The Spanish Football Association are allegedly in regular touch with Barcelona over Yamal, who has scored 24 goals and registered 18 assists in 45 appearances at club level this term.

Yamal has scored six goals and registered 12 assists in 25 appearances for Spain, including one goal and four assists in seven outings at the last European Championships.

Spain will take on Iraq and Peru in their two pre-World Cup friendlies on June 4 and June 9 respectively.

It would be a huge shock if Luis de la Fuente's side failed to progress through Group H, and they are considered as one of the favourites for the trophy this summer.

Have Spain ever won the World Cup?

Spain won the 2010 World Cup, but they have since disappointed in the tournament, being eliminated in the group stage in 2014, before making the round of 16 in 2018 and 2022.

La Roja have underwhelmed in the World Cup of late, so there is pressure on De la Fuente's side to perform this summer, and they are the reigning European champions, having enjoyed success at Euro 2024.

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