Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that Lamine Yamal will not start against Cape Verde in today’s 2026 World Cup clash.

While the 18-year-old Barcelona winger is in perfect physical condition following a hamstring injury, the coaching staff will manage his minutes from the bench.

Yamal has been out of competitive action since sustaining a left hamstring injury on April 22. However, De la Fuente is choosing a pragmatic approach to avoid a setback.

“The best news is that Lamine is in great shape, he has prepared very well and is training very well, just like Nico (Williams) and Víctor (Muñoz). He is available, even if he won’t start the match, we’ll see how the game unfolds,” said De la Fuente.

“He is ready to play today without any problem. Not for 90 minutes, but to come on at some point, he is in perfect condition to play a few minutes. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t even be on the bench,”

La Fuente has also acknowledged that his side is viewed as a tournament favorite, but he noted that they are not the sole or clear-cut favourite.

He insists that there are roughly 8 to 10 genuine contenders for the title, including teams like France, Argentina, and England.

“What does that mean in sports? It puts you among the potential contenders, but only one can win… I value it because it pays tribute to the exceptional journey of some players. I had never seen a World Cup with so many real contenders to win it,” he added, while still stating that La Roja has the “best midfield in the world”.