Injuries are dominating the current situation surrounding the Spain national team just days before the squad list for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is announced.
Perhaps the biggest blow to Luis de la Fuente’s plans has come in the form of the hamstring injury to FC Barcelona teenage superstar Lamine Yamal.
Having been sidelined for a period of at least five weeks, the youngster is unlikely to be ready in time for Spain’s opening matches at the tournament in North America.
Meanwhile, a few other players like Mikel Merino and Victor Munoz, who are in De la Fuente’s plans are also injured.
De la Fuente addresses injury concerns
Speaking at a medical conference held at the CEMTRO clinic in Madrid earlier today, De la Fuente reflected on the injury problems that have hit Spain weeks before the World Cup.
‘Will Lamine be there?’ was the question that came up at the end of the discussion, to which the protagonists merely offered a faint smile.
Then, De la Fuente explained his approach without naming individuals, but made his thinking clear, saying:
“When selecting the squad, we consider every possible scenario. Whether you’re winning, whether you’re losing, whether the opposition are down to ten men… There are players who can contribute 20 minutes, and that’s also hugely valuable.”
Lamine is injured. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The Spain manager then pointed to a recent precedent involving a different Barcelona player, Dani Olmo.
“Olmo arrived injured; we were on the verge of ruling him out, but he then proved decisive at the European Championship,” recalled the manager.
“There are players who might not be able to give you 50 or 60 minutes, but they can give you 20 very good ones. And that can make all the difference.
“There are players who might arrive just in time and be decisive in knockout rounds. Olmo was decisive from the quarter-finals onwards,” he added.
“Our priority is to arrive at the decisive moment with the best possible team,” De la Fuente exclaimed.
As things stand, the roadmap laid out for Lamine’s recovery would see him miss Spain’s opener against Cape Verde before getting some minutes against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to arrive at the knockout stages at full fitness.
Source: SPORT
