Spain national football team head coach Luis de la Fuente has included teenage sensation Lamine Yamal in Spain’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the forward still recovering from injury.
The FC Barcelona star has been sidelined since sustaining a hamstring injury during Barcelona’s clash against Osasuna in April.
However, De la Fuente remains hopeful the 18-year-old attacker will regain full fitness before the tournament begins in North America.
The Spain coach also made headlines after excluding all Real Madrid CF players from the final 26-man squad.
Defenders Dean Huijsen and Dani Carvajal were among the notable omissions.
The decision means no Real Madrid player will represent Spain at the World Cup for the first time in the national team’s history.
Reacting to criticism surrounding the selections, De la Fuente denied that club affiliations influenced his decisions.
“I don’t look at one club or another. I don’t have that local bias a fan might have. For me, it’s more global,” the Spain manager said after unveiling the squad.
Spain heads into the tournament as one of the favourites following recent strong performances under De la Fuente, with fans now closely watching Yamal’s recovery ahead of the competition.
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