Spain forward Lamine Yamal has revealed that he feared a hamstring injury could prevent him from featuring at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The 18-year-old picked up the injury while converting a penalty for Barcelona in their clash against Celta Vigo on April 22. Speaking to the Spanish Football Federation’s media team, Yamal admitted he was worried about the severity of the problem and the possibility of missing football’s biggest tournament.
According to the youngster, his immediate hope was that the discomfort was only a minor issue such as cramp, knowing that hamstring injuries can often require lengthy recovery periods. He also feared that even if the injury was not serious, a setback during rehabilitation could jeopardize his World Cup participation.
Despite those concerns, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente remains optimistic that the winger will be fit enough for La Roja’s opening Group H match against Cape Verde on June 15.
Yamal joined his teammates for part of Spain’s first training session on Sunday, taking part in the warm-up before continuing his recovery work in the gym.
The Barcelona star said the prospect of playing at the World Cup has provided extra motivation during his rehabilitation, adding that he is excited about making his tournament debut.
Having played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph in Germany, Yamal described the World Cup as the pinnacle of football and said he has imagined lifting the trophy countless times.
Should he miss Spain’s opening fixture, the teenager is still expected to feature later in the group stage, with matches against Saudi Arabia on June 21 and Uruguay on June 27 remaining on the schedule.
