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Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has expressed his belief that Lamine Yamal will be fit enough to feature in the nation's World Cup opener against Cabo Verde on June 15.
A serious hamstring injury sustained in mid-April initially left many concerned that Yamal would be ruled out of this summer's tournament entirely. Fortunately, while the setback was significant enough to cut short his La Liga season, a comeback toward the end of June was quickly identified as a realistic timeline.
As such, Yamal was named in Spain's World Cup squad, though the Barcelona forward has yet to see any action this summer. According to De la Fuente, his recovery period should conclude at precisely the right moment.
"He's progressing quickly, reaching all the milestones ahead of schedule," De la Fuente told The Guardian. "I think he'll be able to play the first game, but that doesn't mean [he will].
"We'll evaluate if he has to play a little bit, [or] not play [or] wait for the second game."
Can Spain Cope Without Yamal?
The encouraging news for Spain supporters is that Yamal appears on course to play a meaningful role at this summer's World Cup. Exactly when that involvement will kick off, however, remains to be determined.
Spain's opening match against Cabo Verde is just a week away and, as De la Fuente acknowledges, a call will need to be made on whether bringing Yamal back prematurely is wiser than allowing him a few additional days of recovery.
With all due respect to Cabo Verde, Spain should encounter little difficulty against a side ranked 69th in FIFA's global standings even without Yamal in the lineup. That said, finding a suitable replacement for the gifted youngster still poses a considerable challenge.
Not only is De la Fuente monitoring Yamal's fitness closely, but he is also waiting on the recoveries of both Nico Williams and Víctor Muñoz, two natural wide players who would be among the leading candidates to step into Yamal's role.
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In Thursday's friendly against Iraq, Spain deployed Ferran Torres on the right flank alongside Álex Baena. Crystal Palace's Yéremy Pino is the only other natural winger included in the 26-man squad.
Fortunately, De la Fuente anticipates all three of Yamal, Williams and Muñoz to be fit and available for the Cabo Verde fixture next week.
"If there are no setbacks in the coming days, we expect them to be available on the 15th," De la Fuente told reporters. "I think all three will be in a position to play.
"All three are within the expected timelines to arrive in good condition for June 15. The most important thing is that those timelines are being met and will continue to be met, so they can be with us and available to be selected at some point in the match."