Lamine Yamal in ‘perfect physical condition’ heading into World Cup final, De la Fuente says
NEW YORK — Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that 19-year-old Lamine Yamal is in “perfect physical condition” as the team prepares for its final training session before facing Argentina in the World Cup final this Sunday.
Concerns lingered this week as Yamal skipped training on Thursday, but De la Fuente assured reporters in a press conference on Friday that the coaching staff opted to rest the young winger after he took a “hard knock” during Spain’s semifinal victory vs. France earlier in the week.
“Lamine is fine. All the players trained well today,” De la Fuente said. “We have our final training session tomorrow. These are the most critical moments, (we’re) hoping there’s no setback because there won’t be enough hours afterward to recover if some adverse situation were to happen — God willing it won’t — but everyone is fine.”
Yamal entered the tournament with a hamstring injury, which only heightened any injury concerns for the promising young talent. Mikel Oyarzabal scored Spain’s first goal against France on Tuesday, converting off a penalty awarded to Spain following the play that resulted in the apparent injury to Yamal, who was seen limping towards his team on the pitch as the goal was celebrated. He stayed in and played the remainder of the match.
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Nevertheless, De la Fuente said the “heavy blow” against Yamal “was in a very painful spot,” and the coaching staff preferred to play it safe heading into Sunday.
“It’s what we colloquially call a ‘dead leg’ in the thigh area, and it’s very painful,” De la Fuente said. “But he got through the match just fine; he sat out yesterday as a precaution, because he was feeling some slight discomfort. We’d rather he rests. Besides, it was a ‘rest day.’ That kind of rest is what we call ‘invisible training.’”
Yamal returned to training with the rest of the squad on Friday “completely normally,” with De la Fuente concluding: “He’s fine—there are no issues with him; he’s in perfect physical condition.”
Yamal is the face of a promising new generation for Spain, which is looking to follow its 2024 European Championship with the nation’s second World Cup title. The fixture will see Yamal playing in his first World Cup final against Lionel Messi, who, at 39, may be playing in his last.
The juxtaposition led to a reporter asking De la Fuente to compare the two, asking whether the young star is to Spain what Argentina’s captain has meant to his country.
“I believe Lamine needs to be Lamine,” the coach said. “Messi is an unrepeatable player — a tremendous talent and, above all, an example — and, I want to reiterate this time and again, an example for younger athletes. His attitude and behavior at his age in this World Cup, where he is playing spectacularly, serves as an example, I insist.
“But Lamine has to be Lamine, and I think the best way we can help him is by supporting him and helping him continue to be the Lamine we have come to know, because he has exceptional potential for the future.”