Lamine Yamal Soccer Player is ready to start for Spain against Saudi Arabia, and Luis de la Fuente is already weighing how long the 18-year-old should stay on the field. Spain’s coach said the winger is available on the eve of Spain’s second World Cup game, after a 20-minute substitute appearance against Cape Verde.
Lamine Yamal and Saudi Arabia
De la Fuente said the best news was that Yamal was available and in a good moment. He also said Spain should help him as best it can on his journey, a line that fits the way the coach keeps putting the focus on development rather than hype.
The coach pushed back on any rush to turn Yamal into a comparison point for Lionel Messi or Diego Maradona. He also compared him to Salvador Dalí and Michelangelo, then said, “What we think is exceptional, they consider normal.”
Spain’s 0-0 and Cape Verde
That caution sits alongside a clear on-field update. Yamal played 20 minutes in Spain’s 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, and de la Fuente said he was now ready to start against Saudi Arabia in Atlanta.
The number that matters next is not just whether he plays, but how much. De la Fuente said he did not expect Yamal to play the entire game and suggested 55, 58 or 63 minutes depending on how the match evolves.
De la Fuente’s limits
He said Yamal has exceptional footballing maturity and lives everything with total naturalness. He also described him as having great serenity and strength, then added that the spotlight around the winger was not a problem for Spain because the atmosphere inside the squad was very healthy and very natural.
De la Fuente put it more directly in one line: “He is at the point where we have stop him, hold him back; he has to do the things he has to do at this stage in the process.” That is the practical answer for Spain now — Yamal can start, but his return is being handled in minutes, not just in availability.
The buildup to Spain’s tournament has been shaped by his injury in April, and that is why this selection update carries more weight than a routine lineup note. Spain gets its winger back for Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, but the workload will likely be managed from the first whistle.
