Lamine Yamal, who has been ruled out of professional outings with a hamstring injury, is expected to feature in Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Cape Verde, but the teenage sensation will start the match on the bench.Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed ahead of Monday’s Group H clash that the 18-year-old Barcelona star has fully recovered from the hamstring injury that sidelined him during the closing stages of Barcelona’s club season. However, Spain plans to manage his workload carefully as he returns to competitive action.“We are following the indications of the fitness coaches as well as the medical staff of Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Everything shows that Lamine Yamal is ready to play tomorrow,” De La Fuente said during the pre-match press conference.“We don’t know how many minutes he will play. It depends on how the match develops and the situation of the game, but he is in the best condition to play,” he added. Yamal isn’t the only key player back in action. Spain have also opted to leave Nico Williams and Victor Muse on the bench despite both being fully fit, with the coaching staff taking a cautious approach ahead of the long tournament.
Historic opportunity for Cape Verde
While Spain entered the match as heavy favourites, the occasion held a lot of importance for their opponents. Cape Verde are set to play their first FIFA World Cup match when they face the reigning European champions at the Atlanta Stadium on Monday.The Group H clash marks the first senior international meeting between the two nations and represents a historic milestone for the African island nation, which is one of the smallest nations ever to qualify for the World Cup in terms of population.For Spain, the tournament provides an opportunity to confirm its status among world football’s elite. The 2026 edition marks La Roja’s 17th FIFA World Cup appearance, and they arrive in North America as one of the leading contenders for the title after winning UEFA Euro 2024.
