Spanish forward Lamine Yamal is not anticipated to participate in the national team's World Cup opening match against Cape Verde on June 15 due to a hamstring injury, The Athletic reported Monday.

Yamal’s FC Barcelona teammate, Fermin Lopez, faced a more severe prognosis and has been essentially ruled out for the entirety of Spain’s World Cup campaign after sustaining a right foot fracture that necessitates surgical intervention. The midfielder incurred the injury during the opening half of Sunday’s victory over Real Betis.

Yamal suffered a torn left hamstring on April 22 while competing for Barcelona and was subsequently sidelined for the rest of the domestic club season. The injury took place immediately after he converted a penalty kick against Celta Vigo.

While the 18-year-old was initially projected to recover in time for the tournament, his availability also remains questionable for Spain’s second Group H fixture against Saudi Arabia on June 21 in Atlanta. The team's third and final group stage match is scheduled for June 26 against Uruguay in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Roster Announcements and Stat Highlights

Spain, currently holding the No. 2 position in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, is scheduled to officially announce its 26-player World Cup roster next Monday.

The national team captured the UEFA Euro 2024 championship, heavily aided by the performances of Yamal, who was 16 at the time. Recognised as an elite playmaker and finisher, Yamal has recorded six goals across 25 career appearances for the Spanish national squad.

During the domestic club season, Yamal accumulated 16 goals in 28 La Liga appearances for Barcelona, concluding the year with 24 goals across 45 matches in all competitions.