Lamine Yamal sustained an injury during Spain’s 3-0 win over Bulgaria in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The 18-year-old set up his country’s third goal before cameras captured him with his hands on his back in pain after the match, sparking panic among Barcelona fans.
Cadena Ser reported that Yamal’s injury was to his lower back, but it was not serious. Coach Luis de la Fuente also confirmed this, saying that all of La Roja’s players were in good condition after the Bulgaria match.
Initially, de la Fuente decided to rest Yamal in Friday’s training session to give him time to recover and avoid further pain. He is not expected to miss Sunday’s match against Turkey, as the injury is minor and not serious.
Yamal remains a key player in De la Fuente’s thinking for the match against Turkey, which is seen as crucial for Spain’s World Cup qualification after Arda Güler’s teammates defeated Georgia 3-2 on Thursday.
The top two teams in each group qualify directly for the World Cup, and Spain hopes to return from Turkey with a victory that will secure first place and ease its task, rather than face a difficult calculation or end up in the playoffs.
