Lamine Yamal's World Cup hopes clouded by hamstring injury

The 2026 World Cup was meant to be another step for Lamine Yamal after his breakthrough at Euro 2024, but a hamstring injury sustained during Barcelona's title run has cast doubt over how much he will be able to contribute. The 18-year-old has not played since signalling to the bench and going to ground moments after converting a penalty against Celta Vigo on April 22.

Barcelona said "tests have confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has suffered a hamstring injury in his left leg" and that he would follow a conservative treatment plan, missing the remainder of the league season but expected to be available for the World Cup.

The club manager Hansi Flick echoed that assessment. Yamal's season was already disrupted by pubalgia, which kept him out for five games at the start of the campaign after the issue was aggravated while on international duty in September, leading to him being held back from the November camp.

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