Will Lamine Yamal Play at the 2026 World Cup?

Barcelona’s star forward is in a race against time to get ready for Spain’s trip to the U.S.

It’s a race against time for Lamine Yamal. | Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Lamine Yamal opened up on the pain of having his domestic season with Barcelona curtailed by injury while vowing to “come back stronger” and “more determined than ever” with his World Cup participation for Spain still very much on the line.

While Barcelona have confirmed that they will have to try and preserve their advantage over Real Madrid in La Liga without the team’s top scorer and leading assist provider, Yamal is expected to feature for Spain at this summer’s global assembly of soccer powers. The teenager, a key player at Euro 2024 two years ago, is certainly gunning for a big return.

“This injury is keeping me off the field at the very moment I wanted to be there the most, and it hurts more than I can explain,” Yamal wrote on Instagram. “It hurts not to be able to fight alongside my teammates, not to be able to help when the team needs me. But I believe in them, and I know they’re going to give it their all in every game.

“I’ll be there, even if it’s from the sidelines, supporting, cheering, and pushing them on just like any other fan. This isn’t the end; it’s just a pause. I’ll come back stronger, more determined than ever, and next season will be better.”

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Lamine Yamal’s Predicted Return Date

There has been no official confirmation of Yamal’s exact return date but numerous reports expected the teenager to be ruled out for six to seven weeks. That would place his comeback at some point around the start of June.

Should Yamal’s recovery progress in the quickest possible scenario, Spain’s prolific forward may be able to gain a few minutes in his nation’s final pre-World Cup friendly against Peru on June 8. The reigning European champion kickoff its group stage campaign against tournament debutants Cabo Verde in the midday heat of Atlanta on June 15.

Given the kind nature of Spain’s Group H, manager Luis de la Fuente may be inclined to ease Yamal into action over the first two group games before the potentially decisive clash with Uruguay in Mexico on June 26. By then, more than two months on from Yamal’s hamstring strain, the youngster should be approaching top form going into the knockout phase.

However, De la Fuente’s past actions suggest that he has little care for the youngster’s delicate fitness. The Spain manager engaged in a spiky war of words with Barcelona boss Hansi Flick earlier this season after starting Yamal in two qualifiers following the administration of painkilling injections. “This is not taking care of players,” the German coach argued. De la Fuente was unimpressed with this criticism.

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How Spain Could Replace Lamine Yamal?

Víctor Muñoz made his Spain debut this year. | Ernest Kolodziej/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

There are very few players on the planet capable of replicating Yamal’s impact at the sharp end of the pitch. In many metrics, that list runs straight down to zero. The bewitching left footer leaves a pile of strewn defenders in his wake each time he takes to the pitch and, unlike the few elite dribblers who can match his staggering capacity for wriggling towards goal, backs up that flair with a steady stream of concrete output.

In the event that Yamal’s minutes do have to be managed this summer, there are some interesting (if inferior) alternatives for De la Fuente to consider.

Víctor Muñoz was subbed on for Yamal as a direct replacement in each of Spain’s first two fixtures of 2026. The jet-heeled Osasuna forward could soon start vying for minutes with Yamal at Barcelona if reports are to be believed and it’s clear why the Catalan giants are eyeing up Real Madrid’s former academy gem.

While Yamal leads all La Liga forwards for progressive carries, Muñoz ranks a respectable third, sandwiching Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior between the Spanish duo. The 22-year-old has chipped in with five goals during his debut season of senior top-flight soccer, earning his international debut in March. Nine minutes after swapping places with Yamal against Serbia, Muñoz scored Spain’s final goal in a 3–0 win.

Ferran Torres, Yamal’s current Barcelona teammate, set up Muñoz’s debut strike that day and has also been utilized by De la Fuente in a wide position on occasion. The mercurial finisher could alternatively line up through the middle while Mikel Oyarzabal drifts out wide while there is also the option of Crystal Palace playmaker Yéremy Pino.

Spain’s European Championship triumph was underpinned by the direct running of Yamal and his opposite winger Nico Williams. However, the Athletic Club forward has endured his own injury issues this season, battling unsuccessfully against a groin problem for months, as he faces the real possibility of missing out on the tournament entirely.

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