Spain's Lamine Yamal to miss World Cup opener
Forward Lamine Yamal is not expected to play in Spain's World Cup opener on 15 June against Cape Verde in Atlanta because of a hamstring injury, The Athletic reported on Monday.
Yamal's FC Barcelona teammate Fermin Lopez was less fortunate after he was essentially ruled out for Spain's World Cup run because of a right foot fracture that will require surgery. The midfielder was injured during the first half of Sunday's win against Real Betis.
Advertisement
Yamal tore his left hamstring in a 22 April game for Barcelona and was ruled out for the remainder of his club team's season. The injury occurred when he scored on a penalty kick against Celta Vigo.
Yamal, 18, had been expected to be available for World Cup play, although he is also doubtful to play in Spain's second group H game against Saudi Arabia on 21 June in Atlanta.
Spain's third and final group H game will take place on 26 June against Uruguay at Guadalajara, Mexico.
Spain, currently No 2 in Fifa's latest men's world rankings, is scheduled to announce its 26-player World Cup team next Monday.
Spain won Uefa Euro 2024 in part due to contributions from a then-16-year-old Yamal. A sublime playmaker and finisher, Yamal has six goals in 25 career appearances for the Spanish national team.
In 28 LaLiga matches for Barcelona, Yamal scored 16 goals, with 24 goals in 45 matches across all competitions.
--------------------------------
Where and how to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
DStv Stream Access starts from R99 per month, while those with a decoder can watch DStv Access from R150 per month. Click here to explore the package and discover additional content you can enjoy.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go. Download the DStv Stream app here.
Advertisement