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Lamine Yamal to get 15 minutes against Cape Verde, full availability for Uruguay clash

Hamstring injury in late April won't keep Lamine Yamal from the 2026 World Cup with Spain, but his return will be carefully managed: 15 minutes against Cape Verde on June 15, one hour against Saudi Arabia, then full availability for the showdown with Uruguay.

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Lamine Yamal to get 15 minutes against Cape Verde, full availability for Uruguay clash
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Lamine Yamal will compete in the 2026 World Cup, but with a carefully calibrated fitness programme. The FC Barcelona prodigy suffered a hamstring tear on April 22 — sustained while scoring a penalty — and missed the final six matches of the season with the Blaugranas. At 18, he is approaching his first World Cup cautiously.

The player did not feature in Spain’s first warm-up match against Iraq (1-1), and will not play Monday against Peru in Puebla, Mexico. La Selección’s tournament opener is set for June 15 in Atlanta against Cape Verde, exactly seven days after that fixture.

According to As journalist Javi Miguel, FC Barcelona has given the green light for Luis de la Fuente to use his number 10 in the opening match against Cape Verde, but for a maximum of 15 minutes. In the second group match against Saudi Arabia five days later, Yamal could start and play up to one hour.

It is against Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara that the European champion could finally be used without restriction. This Group H clash against Marcelo Bielsa’s Celeste could determine who finishes top — a significant stakes: the group runner-up could face Lionel Messi’s Argentina as early as the round of 16.

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