Spain's Rising Star Lamine Yamal Sidelined: The Shocking Reason Behind His October Absence

Luis de la Fuente will be without Lamine Yamal as Spain progresses through their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in October.

The Spanish national team has two home fixtures against Georgia and Bulgaria, looking to cement their place in next summer's tournament where they're expected to be among the top contenders.

Yamal was instrumental when Spain kicked off their 2026 World Cup qualifying journey, dominating Bulgaria and Türkiye last month by providing three assists across nine total goals in both matches. However, the young star's exceptional international performances came with consequences.

The 18-year-old has been struggling with fitness problems since then, leading to Hansi Flick openly criticizing Spain's management of Yamal's physical condition. Barcelona's number 10 will now miss joining his club teammates in La Roja's October training camp.

What is Lamine Yamal's Injury?

After returning to Barcelona following September's international duties, the Catalan club revealed Yamal had sustained a pubic area injury, commonly referred to as pubalgia. This injury forced Yamal to sit out four consecutive matches for Barça.

He made his comeback on Sept. 28, but three days later, he re-injured himself during Barça's Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

Having played more than 60 matches as a 17-year-old in 2024–25, the demanding schedule seems to be affecting the 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up.

When Will Lamine Yamal Return from Injury?

Barcelona has stated that Yamal is anticipated to be sidelined for two to three weeks. In theory, the dynamic winger might return shortly after the international break concludes.

The challenge with Yamal's condition is that complete rest and careful workload management are essential for full recovery. Barcelona's primary objective is ensuring their star player is completely healthy for the season's first El Clásico away at Real Madrid on Oct. 26.

However, Flick recently discussed Yamal's injury and acknowledged that predicting an exact return date for the Spanish talent is impossible. Everything depends on how the young prodigy progresses over the upcoming days and weeks.

The most detrimental action Barcelona could take would be rushing Yamal back onto the field, potentially causing another relapse that might transform his groin problem into a persistent condition requiring surgical intervention in the worst-case scenario.

Nevertheless, according to Mundo Deportivo, the strategy involves Yamal gradually returning to play after the October break. If everything proceeds smoothly, he's expected to come off the bench against Girona on Oct. 18, then participate for roughly half the match against Olympiacos on Oct. 21, before being fully deployed against Real Madrid the subsequent Sunday.

Assuming no additional injury complications arise, Yamal might be available for Spain's November World Cup qualifying encounters against Georgia and Türkiye.