De la Fuente: Comparing Lamine Yamal to Messi or Maradona is a 'mistake'

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente warned that comparing Lamine Yamal to icons like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona is "a mistake" that could hinder the teenager's development. He nevertheless placed the Barcelona winger in a rare category of "geniuses," likening them to Salvador Dali and Michelangelo and adding, "What seems exceptional to us, isn't for them." Yamal entered the tournament working his way back to full fitness after a muscular injury sustained in April and only managed a 20-minute cameo in the opening fixture.

While the Ballon d'Or runner-up is eager to contribute, he has admitted he is not yet prepared to complete a full match. De la Fuente remained coy on whether Yamal would start against Saudi Arabia. "We'll evaluate that," the coach said. "The best news is that he's here.

Lamine is in a good moment. Whether he plays 55, 58 or 63 minutes, that will depend on the game. We'll think about his contribution to the team, and what's beneficial for him...

Spain

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