'This Is Lamine Yamal's Moment': Spain Coach Backs His 18-Year-Old Star

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has backed teenage talisman Lamine Yamal to illuminate the upcoming World Cup despite his recent fitness struggles. Speaking after unveiling his 26-man squad, the coach emphasised that the tournament represents a defining career milestone for the Barcelona forward, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

Manager outlines tournament expectations

During a state broadcast interview following his official 26-man squad announcement, De la Fuente outlined his strategic blueprint for Spain's World Cup campaign. The European champions are scheduled to launch their tournament on June 15 against Cape Verde, with injured stars Yamal and Mikel Merino included in the travelling party. Despite Yamal missing the conclusion of the domestic season with a muscle issue, the coaching staff remain highly optimistic regarding his operational readiness.

De la Fuente demands immediate impact

Addressing the immense public anticipation surrounding his teenage forward, De la Fuente stated during RTVE and EFE's 'Los Desayunos' program: "He's incredibly excited. He's incredibly eager. He's very young but very mature. And he knows this is his moment. And in life, you have to seize your opportunities.

"You never know how you'll be at the next World Cup. And this is Lamine Yamal's moment. He's very good, and he'll only get better as his teammates help him perform at his best. In my opinion, we have the best players in the world in many positions, and that will help him perform even better."

Squad management details clarified

The manager also addressed his broader squad dynamics, including the addition of Eric Garcia and the physical freshness of Arsenal's Merino following a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Furthermore, this selection marks a historic milestone as the first Spanish World Cup squad to feature zero Real Madrid representatives, following the omissions of Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia.

Discussing Yamal and his injured contingent, De la Fuente added: "The situation of the injured players is good, given where each one is in their recovery process. They will all be available, optimistically, for the first match. Then, we'll assess whether it's beneficial for them to play in the first match. But our focus is on something beyond the first match."

What comes next?

Spain enter the tournament carrying the immense psychological weight of being reigning European champions, facing a highly competitive field of title contenders. The technical staff will spend the imminent training camp monitoring individual physical metrics to ensure the squad peaks during the gruelling group stage. La Roja will also face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).

The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA's opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).