Lamine Yamal skips Spain training as World Cup final concerns mount
· Yahoo Sports
Lamine Yamal was absent from Spanish national team training just days ahead of the World Cup final.
The tournament has been whittled down to two sides battling for the coveted trophy: Yamal's Spain and Lionel Messi's Argentina. For Spain to unseat the reigning champions, a fully fit squad will be essential — though that may not be the case heading into Sunday's showpiece.
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Yamal, widely regarded as the heir apparent to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, has been a fitness concern throughout the tournament. A recent training sighting has only deepened those worries as Spain gears up for its most significant match in four years.
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During Thursday's training session, Yamal was spotted sporting a bandage around his left thigh and took no part in the team's main drills. He was seen performing light stretching, though that represented the full extent of his involvement on the day.
Notably, star defender Pedro Porro also worked through an individual conditioning program separate from the group. Despite the concerning images, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente played down the situation, confirming that both players will be available for Sunday's final.
It is worth highlighting that late in Spain's semifinal victory over France, Yamal clutched his left leg following a collision with Kylian Mbappe during a defensive sequence. He remained on the field but was visibly limping in the closing stages.
With Yamal under close monitoring, particularly considering what's understood about the injury thus far, the 19-year-old has acknowledged he's still progressing toward complete fitness. Significantly, he didn't feature in Spain's opening fixture against Cape Verde and has netted one goal while providing five chances across seven appearances.
The teenager's gradual return to peak condition caught the attention of Porro, the standout defender, who praised Yamal's determination to work his way back into game-ready form following a hamstring setback in the buildup to the World Cup.
Addressing media members after Spain's 3-0 victory over Austria in the Round of 32 at Los Angeles Stadium, the star offered insight into Yamal's progress while highlighting the challenges of returning from injury.
"Very well, very well," he began to reporters in Spanish regarding how Yamal is adjusting to getting back to 100 percent. "I think that Lamine, the truth is that it is always difficult when you come back from injury, to pick up the pace again.
"It has happened to me many times when a disc injury comes, it is also difficult, but hey, we know the player who is Lamine - it is simply when to support him, when he needs it the most.
"So the truth is that many times it is more than what I have said before, to be focused on what I have to do, to be focused on what is good for him, and simply very happy, because every time the games happen, we understand each other better, and also the group notices it, and that is also important for all of us."
Spain will aim to claim its first World Cup title since 2010, while Argentina seeks to defend its crown and secure back-to-back championships.