Lamine Yamal Joins Spain National Team
Lamine Yamal, the promising 18-year-old forward for Barcelona, has secured a spot in Spain’s national team for their upcoming matches against Georgia and Turkey next week. This comes after he missed last month’s World Cup qualifying games due to an injury; however, Spanish manager Luis De la Fuente emphasized that Yamal was an “obvious choice” for the squad given his recent performance.
Recent Performance and Injury Update
Yamal made a notable impact in a 3-3 draw for Barcelona against Club Brugge in the Champions League, where he scored once and assisted another goal. In response to speculation regarding his fitness, Yamal publicly refuted the “lies” about his injury, which had been linked to ongoing issues with pubalgia. His absence from the previous qualifiers was confirmed by Barcelona, who mentioned the recurrence of the injury as the reason he withdrew from the squad initially named for the fixtures against Georgia and Bulgaria last month.
Support for Young Athletes
Amid ongoing discussions about player welfare, Barça head coach Hansi Flick has previously criticized the national team’s management, accusing them of not adequately supporting young athletes like Yamal. During a media briefing, De la Fuente remarked on Yamal’s current form, stating,
“Watching the Champions League game, he’s in perfect shape. His coach said he was ready to play. He’s getting back to being the player he has always been, and we celebrate that.”
He underscored the importance of having top players available for these crucial matches.
Development and Future Prospects
Yamal has recently been a regular in Barcelona’s lineup, starting the last six games after recovering from the injury that sidelined him for a period. Acknowledging Yamal’s developmental phase, De la Fuente noted the significance of providing appropriate support as Yamal’s body continues to mature.
“It’s a natural process. He’s 18, and that’s true for any player at this age,”
he commented, indicating a collaborative approach involving both Barcelona and the national federation to guide the young talent.
Squad Announcement and Upcoming Matches
Regarding communication with Flick about prior frustrations regarding squad selections, De la Fuente mentioned that discussions had been minimal but expressed optimism about future dialogue.
Spain is set to face Georgia on November 15 and then will host Turkey in Seville on November 18. Currently, they lead Group E with 12 points from four matches, sitting three points ahead of Turkey. This latest squad announcement also included a call for Real Betis midfielder Pablo Fornals, while Manchester City’s Rodri was notably absent. Barcelona is well-represented with five players: Yamal, Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, Fermín López, and Pau Cubarsí, while Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen made the roster as well.
Spain Squad Overview
- Goalkeepers: Unai Simón, Álex Remiro, David Raya
- Defenders: Aymeric Laporte, Dani Vivian, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marcos Llorente, Marc Cucurella, Pau Cubarsí, Dean Huijsen, Pedro Porro
- Midfielders: Fabián Ruiz, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Aleix García, Pablo Barrios, Álex Baena, Pablo Fornals
- Forwards: Mikel Oyarzabal, Yeremy Pino, Dani Olmo, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Samu Aghehowa, Borja Iglesias
