The Lamine Yamal injury update has cast a shadow over Spain’s preparations for Sunday’s World Cup final, though the latest news out of camp is more encouraging than the panic of earlier in the week. The 19-year-old limped off after Tuesday’s semifinal win over France and skipped full training on Thursday, but Friday reports now indicate he’s trending toward being fit and available to start against Argentina.
Yamal played all 90 minutes of Spain’s 2-1 semifinal win, drawing the foul from Lucas Digne that led to the decisive first-half penalty. It was the only foul committed against him all match, and by the final whistle, reports indicated he was dealing with physical discomfort in his left leg.
The 19-year-old was seen limping afterward, and by Thursday’s training session, his left thigh was visibly bandaged as he sat out passing drills entirely, taking part only in light individual stretching on the open portion of the session. Teammate Pedro Porro, who scored in the win over France, was managing a similar issue after being substituted in the 84th minute.
This isn’t Yamal’s first fitness issue of the tournament. The teenager arrived carrying a hamstring problem that had already ended his club season early at Barcelona, and Spain managed his minutes carefully through the group stage before gradually increasing his workload in the knockout rounds.
Fellow starter Pedro Porro has faced a similar situation, having been substituted in the France match with what coach Luis de la Fuente described as muscle overload. Both players trained separately from the squad on Thursday as a result.
Despite the visible concern, injury reports out of the Spanish camp have stayed largely positive. De la Fuente confirmed that Yamal took a hard knock during the semifinal but insisted the teenager would be in perfect physical condition by kickoff.
The coaching staff has consistently framed Thursday’s absence as workload management rather than a serious setback, though the true extent of the issue remains difficult to verify from outside the camp. With several days still remaining before Sunday’s final, there’s time for Yamal to complete his recovery.
Spain remains unbeaten in 14 matches with Yamal in the lineup, underlining just how central he’s become to the team’s identity under de la Fuente. Only Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé have taken more shots than Yamal at this World Cup, even though he’s scored just once, against Saudi Arabia in the group stage.
De la Fuente has publicly resisted comparing Yamal to Messi directly, saying instead that Messi can be a role model in terms of attitude and behavior, but that Yamal needs to simply be himself while the team continues supporting him through an up-and-down individual tournament. That approach reflects how much trust the coaching staff has placed in Yamal’s overall game, even during a stretch without the goal tally many expected from him.
The star’s current fitness saga also isn’t an isolated incident. Yamal has dealt with recurring muscle issues dating back to a groin injury that sidelined him for World Cup qualifiers last October, a saga that at the time sparked public friction between Barcelona and the Spanish federation over how his workload was being managed.
Spain faces Argentina in Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with kickoff still several days away, giving Yamal a real window to prove his fitness in training before the biggest match of his career. If sidelined, Spain would lose one of its most creative outlets against an Argentina defense that has already been tested by Messi’s own attacking talent. For the latest on his recovery as the week progresses, Sports Illustrated’s complete injury breakdown covers De la Fuente’s full comments, while Forbes’ report on Thursday’s training session has additional detail on the extent of the concern.
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