Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has admitted he feared missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a thigh injury during the final weeks of the club season, İdman.Biz.
The 18-year-old said he immediately worried about the seriousness of the problem and hoped it was only a minor issue because of the upcoming tournament.
“I remember the moment of the injury very clearly. Inside, I was praying it was nothing serious. I hoped it was just cramp or a small problem because the World Cup was getting close,” Yamal said.
The Spain international picked up the injury after converting a penalty during Barcelona’s match against Celta Vigo on 22 April. The winger suffered a hamstring issue in his left leg and was forced to miss the remainder of the club campaign.
Despite the setback, Yamal was included in Spain’s World Cup squad. The teenager admitted he knew the recovery process could be lengthy and feared the injury might return at the worst possible moment.
“I had never experienced this kind of hamstring injury before, but I knew recovery could take time. I was afraid it could become serious and keep me out of the World Cup,” he explained.
Yamal also spoke about his excitement ahead of his first World Cup appearance. After winning UEFA Euro 2024 with Spain, he said the team’s focus has now shifted towards lifting football’s biggest trophy.
“Since the European Championship ended, we’ve been waiting for this. Everyone is highly motivated. We are going there as European champions and now we want to become world champions as well,” the forward added.
