Lamine Yamal Injury: Progress, Potential Return Date As World Cup Fears Mount

The young winger injured his hamstring taking, and scoring, a penalty on Wednesday night.

Lamine Yamal limped off with a hamstring injury. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Fifty days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, one of the tournament’s likely protagonists sent shockwaves around the world.

Barcelona and Spain sensation Lamine Yamal limped out of his side’s 1–0 win over Celta Vigo with an obvious hamstring problem, picked up as he scored what proved to be the winning penalty. Celebrations soon turned to concerns as Yamal immediately headed for the turf.

With the World Cup creeping up, fears Yamal would be forced to miss the tournament quickly grew. Here’s everything we know about the young winger’s injury so far.

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What Injury Does Lamine Yamal Have?

Yamal went down after scoring a penalty. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Reports of a torn hamstring soon emerged and ESPN state club sources admitted that was their initial line of thinking as they awaited the results of scans conducted on Thursday.

After receiving those results, a club statement read: “Tests have confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has a hamstring injury in his left leg.”

The severity of Yamal’s injury was not disclosed, but it was noted that he will undergo “conservative treatment,” rather than surgery, which suggests he may have avoided anything particularly serious.

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When Might Lamine Yamal Return From Injury?

Yamal’s World Cup dreams are in danger. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

By not confirming the extent of Yamal’s injury, it is hard to put a specific timeline on his recovery.

Barcelona did confirm, however, that Yamal will not play again for the remainder of the 2025–26 season as he recovers.

Yamal’s attention will now switch to the World Cup and, crucially, the club statement adds that the young winger is expected to make a full recovery in time for this summer’s trip to North America with Spain.

In search of further details, AS state medical staff expect Yamal to need no more than five weeks on the sidelines, suggesting he has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring injury—not the best-case scenario but, significantly, far from the worst.

The World Cup does not start until June 11, just over seven weeks from the date of injury. Assuming all goes according to plan, Yamal should have no problem taking to the pitch for Spain’s opener against Cape Verde on June 15.

The greatest concern for Spain will be the risk of reinjury that comes with hamstring problems, which can be worryingly high if not managed properly. His return to fitness will, therefore, be taken slowly to give him the best possible chance of making a full recovery in time for the World Cup.

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