De la Fuente: ‘Yamal, Williams should be fit for World Cup opener‘

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente says forwards Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams should be fit for the team’s World Cup opener on June 15 against Cape Verde. Both missed the end of the club season with hamstring injuries, yet De la Fuente included them in his squad, confident their recovery would stay on schedule. Speaking ahead of Spain’s friendly against Iraq, he stressed that medical staff remain in constant coordination with their clubs and that both players are “progressing as expected,” though neither will feature in A Coruna.

Asked specifically about Yamal, he noted the teenager could be ready for the opener but warned that fitness does not guarantee selection. Spain enter the tournament among the favourites, with De la Fuente calling this edition “historic” due to the number of teams capable of winning. After facing Cape Verde, Spain meet Saudi Arabia on June 21 before closing Group H against Uruguay on June 27.