Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has moved to ease concerns surrounding Lamine Yamal‘s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that the Spanish winger is expected to be fit for the tournament despite suffering a hamstring injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the club season.
Yamal picked up the injury during Barcelona’s recent LaLiga win over Celta Vigo, bringing his domestic campaign to a premature close. The timing of the setback raised immediate questions about his availability for Spain at the World Cup, which is scheduled to begin in June 2026.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Barcelona’s LaLiga weekend fixture, Flick addressed the situation directly and offered a measured but positive assessment of the 18-year-old’s prospects. “Lamine Yamal’s injury and the World Cup with Spain? We are in communication with Spain,” Flick said. “I think we’ll see him at the World Cup. But he still has time, more time to recover and return, that’s what he wants.”
The Barcelona head coach’s comments suggest that provided Yamal’s rehabilitation programme proceeds without further complications, the winger retains a realistic chance of featuring for La Roja on football’s biggest stage. The gap between the end of the club season and the tournament’s June start date affords Yamal additional weeks to complete his recovery.
Yamal has been one of the standout performers in European football this season, with his influence at Barcelona continuing to grow in the closing stages of the campaign before the injury intervened. The winger, who became a key figure in Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph, was widely expected to play a central role in Luis de la Fuente’s plans for the World Cup.
Spain are among the leading contenders for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico in an expanded 48-team format. Yamal’s fitness will be closely monitored in the coming weeks, with the Spanish football federation understood to be in ongoing dialogue with Barcelona regarding his condition.
Flick’s intervention also comes amid reports of external speculation surrounding the young forward, with the Barcelona manager firmly dismissing any suggestion that outside parties influence squad or fitness decisions at the club. His assertion that communication with Spain’s national setup is already underway indicates a coordinated approach to managing Yamal’s return.
Barcelona’s season concludes in the coming weeks, after which Yamal’s rehabilitation will become the primary focus ahead of any potential World Cup involvement. Whether the teenager makes Spain’s final squad will ultimately depend on his progress over the next several weeks and the medical assessments conducted closer to the tournament.
