Lamine Yamal Cleared for World Cup Final Against Argentina
The image of Lamine Yamal limping around the pitch after dismantling France sent a shiver through Spain and Barcelona alike. For a few uneasy minutes after the semi-final in 2026, the story threatened to move from his brilliance with the ball to the way he left the field without it.
That anxiety has been firmly parked.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed that every player in Luis de la Fuente’s 26-man squad is fit and available for the World Cup final against Argentina, with Yamal given the all-clear after his late scare.
From fear to relief
Spain’s 2-0 win over France was shaped, again, by their teenage phenomenon. Yamal didn’t just decorate the semi-final, he drove it. The Barcelona winger repeatedly tore at the French back line, stretching defenders, opening space, and setting the tempo for a side that has grown used to leaning on his fearlessness.
The concern only arrived in the closing stages. Tracking back in a defensive transition, Yamal brought down Kylian Mbappé and immediately clutched his leg. For a country watching every step he takes, that single gesture was enough.
He stayed down briefly. No stretcher. No dramatic treatment. Then he got up, ran it off, and finished the match without asking for medical attention or signalling to the bench. On the surface, it looked manageable.
The pictures after the final whistle told a different story. Yamal walked through the stadium with a noticeable limp, and the questions started: would Spain’s most explosive attacking outlet be carrying an injury into the biggest game of his life?
Medical green light
Those doubts have now been swept aside. Spain’s medical staff have given Yamal a positive assessment ahead of Sunday’s final, easing the tension that had hovered over the camp since the semi-final.
For De la Fuente, it is a decisive boost. His system is built on control, but his attack is lit by Yamal’s ability to break games open from the flank, to turn safe possession into panic in the opposition box. Losing him days before facing Argentina would have reshaped the entire tactical plan.
Instead, Spain arrive at the showpiece with a clean bill of health and their most dangerous winger ready to go.
De la Fuente’s instant reassurance
Even in the immediate aftermath of the win over France, De la Fuente moved quickly to calm the noise around his young star. Speaking after the game, the Spain coach made it clear that early feedback from the medical team offered no reason to panic.
"As far as I know, Lamine is fine. I've just spoken to the doctors," he said, cutting through the speculation that had begun to swirl as images of Yamal’s limp spread.
Now, with the RFEF confirming the entire squad is fit, that reassurance has been backed by formal clearance.
Spain will walk out against Argentina with their full arsenal available. Crucially, the teenager who has already bent this World Cup to his will will be there, fit, sharp, and ready to decide the biggest match of them all.
