FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal’s season-ending injury is bad enough for the La Liga leader. But things could get even worse as his participation in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup could be in jeopardy.
The 18-year-old left Barcelona’s last game against Celta Vigo with an undisclosed injury. It was later revealed that Yamal had sustained a hamstring injury. As a result, the Spanish club chose to shut him down for the remainder of the team’s La Liga schedule.
Now, that’s not really much of an emergency. Barca has a nine-point lead over second-place Real Madrid. That’s why Barcelona manager Hansi Flick isn’t heading to break the glass just yet.
But the bigger question now is Yamal’s participation in the World Cup. The expectation is that Yamal will line up for Spain on the soccer’s biggest stage. The Spaniards have one of the most talented sides they’ve had in a while.
The current timeline for Yamal’s recovery is six to seven weeks. That’s a tough injury if it requires that much time off. Spain will be kicking off its World Cup participation on June 15 against Cape Verde.
That’s about seven weeks away. If Yamal will need six to seven weeks to get back on the pitch, it’ll be a close call for the Spanish national team.
There’s no question he’ll be with the Spanish side at the World Cup. But the question is when he could be ready to play.
Spain Could Struggle to Score without Yamal
So, the biggest concern about playing without Yamal will be Spain’s ability to score goals. Spain has talented pieces. Barcelona teammate Ferran Torres should get the lion’s share of the playing time in Yamal’s absence.
Beyond Yamal and Torres, Spain might find it challenging to put the ball in the back of the net. During the group stage, Spain might not feel quite as much pressure. The opening match against Cape Verde should be the least challenging of the Spaniard’s current schedule.
Then, Spain will face Saudi Arabia on June 21. That match should be much more demanding. Considering the timeframe, Yamal could return to the pitch for that match.
Where things will get tough is on June 26, when Spain takes on Uruguay. The South American side will easily be the toughest opponent in the group stage. If Spain wanted to keep Yamal on the bench until then, saving him for the match against Uruguay might be the best bet.
Barcelona, Spain, Will Play It Safe
Part of the decision to shut Yamal down at this point was about playing it safe. There’s too much at stake at this point. That’s why it makes sense to err on the side of caution. Barcelona has La Liga in the proverbial bag.
And with Spain having a relatively light schedule during the World Cup group stage, everyone can afford to play it safe.
Of course, that all depends on Yamal’s recovery going according to schedule. Injuries, unfortunately, don’t always follow a strict schedule. That’s why it remains unclear how much time the rising star could miss moving forward.
Yamal Questionable for 2026 FIFA World Cup