‘Not Easy’—Hansi Flick Gives Verdict on Lamine Yamal 2026 World Cup Chances

The Barcelona gem is in a race against the clock to be healthy for his first career World Cup.

Hansi Flick (left) is confident in his star player’s recovery. | David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal’s chances of playing in the 2026 World Cup appeared to go up in flames due to injury last week, but manager Hansi Flick has remained optimistic.

Yamal suffered a hamstring injury in Barcelona’s 1–0 win against Celta Vigo on Wednesday, leading to the club’s announcement that he won’t feature again in the 2025–26 season.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worst possible time for the 18-year-old, less than two months from him making his highly-anticipated World Cup debut with tournament-favorite Spain. Still, Flick believes Yamal will be healthy in time to delight the world with his talent this summer in North America.

“It’s not easy, the situation, for us but also for him,” Flick said regarding Yamal’s injury. “We have to manage it, he also has to manage it, he has to learn about that. I think he’s very focused now...It was his first muscle injury.

“What I can feel is that he’s really focused. He has motivation, he’s out for us [Barcelona], but I think for the World Cup he will be there, and he will be stronger, he’ll come back stronger than now.”

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Why Flick Believes Yamal Must Learn From Injury Setback

Lamine Yamal may have worsened his hamstring injury himself. | Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Yamal fell on the ground injured and signaled for his substitution immediately after scoring a penalty against Celta; however, Flick revealed that the hamstring issue may have surfaced in previous action, when Yamal created the penalty he then decided to take himself.

“He felt something after the foul,” Flick admitted. “I think it was not so much, and he decided to kick the penalty and after that, maybe [he felt] more. In the end, he felt it, and like I said before, he never had a muscle injury before.

“It’s also part of learning about the signals the body gives you. It’s not so easy because he’s really young, but in the end, it’s experience, and this is what he has to learn, to think about the signals the body gives you.

“But at the end, he scored a goal and we have three points. He’s out, of course, and it’s a pity, but...he also, at the beginning of the season, missed some games, and we did good.”

Barcelona defeated Getafe 2–0 in their first game without the injured Yamal to build an 11-point lead over Real Madrid atop the La Liga standings with just five games left in the season.

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Yamal Will Be Part of Spain 2026 World Cup Roster

Luis de la Fuente is still expected to consider Lamine Yamal. | David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images

Reports coming from Spain indicate that Yamal is guaranteed to be included in Luis de la Fuente’s 26-man roster that will represent Spain in the 2026 World Cup.

According to SPORT, Spain’s national team has reassured Yamal in the days after his injury, trying to lift his mood in the early days of his recovery, with being fit for the World Cup the sole mission.

Barcelona didn’t offer a specific timeline for Yamal’s return, but reports suggest it will take the teenager around six to seven weeks to be back to full fitness. Spain will make its World Cup debut against Cape Verde on June 15, exactly seven weeks and five days removed from Yamal’s injury.

The electrifying play might arrive to the tournament slightly rusty, and his minutes could potentially be decreased during the group stage, but his presence in World Cup this summer appears to be a guarantee, as things currently stand.

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