Lamine Yamal’s meteoric rise has made him one of the brightest stars in both Barcelona and Spain’s setup, but his international status for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers remains shrouded in uncertainty. Despite being named in Luis de la Fuente’s latest squad, questions linger about whether the teenager will actually take the field. Spain has already secured a strong start in their World Cup qualifying campaign, and naturally, all eyes turned when Lamine Yamal was included in the squad list for matches against Georgia on October 11 and Bulgaria on October 14.
The news, however, instantly rekindled controversy between club and country. Yamal, who has been the subject of fierce debate between Spain and Barcelona, continues to draw scrutiny over how his young body is being managed. His presence on the squad sheet highlights La Roja’s reliance on him, but it also revives doubts about whether he should be playing at all right now.
“We don’t take any risks, only the risks that any player takes when practicing a sport,” De la Fuente stated defiantly when announcing the squad. “If a player arrives at the team, it means he is healthy, and if he plays, it means he is fit to play.”
The tension between Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has been simmering for weeks. Earlier this season, the German boss criticized the Spanish Federation for their handling of Yamal, accusing them of playing him despite visible discomfort. “It’s not taking care of players when they arrive with pain, don’t train, and then play more than 70 minutes,” he said bluntly, sparking open conflict.
De la Fuente responded with equal sharpness: “I was surprised by his words. Hansi Flick has been a national coach and knows how we behave. I thought he would have empathy with this.” The public clash has placed Yamal at the centre of an unwanted tug-of-war, one that leaves fans, club, and country wondering whether he is being protected or overused.
The hidden reason behind his doubt
While Spain insists there is no conflict, the underlying issue is clear. Yamal has been dealing with pubic discomfort, which caused him to miss four consecutive games for Barcelona earlier this season. He only just returned, featuring against Real Sociedad and then playing over 90 minutes in Barcelona’s 2-1 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
However, according to Mundo Deportivo, the 18-year-old limped off after that PSG clash, once again feeling pain in the same area that had sidelined him for weeks. As a result, the club announced on Friday that Lamine Yamal has been ruled out for two to three weeks with recurring pubic discomfort. In an official statement, Barca confirmed: “The pubic discomfort affecting player Lamine Yamal has reappeared after the match against PSG. He is out against Sevilla and the estimated recovery time is 2-3 weeks.”
Lamine Yamal injury
That timetable means the teenager will miss both of Spain’s qualifiers this month, despite initially being included in the squad. He will also sit out Barcelona’s clash with Sevilla, with hopes pinned on his return after the international break.
