Spain boss delivers huge Lamine Yamal fitness update ahead of World Cup opener – “He’s getting better fast” | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal’s World Cup hopes have received a major boost, with Spain boss Luis de la Fuente offering an encouraging update on the Barcelona winger’s recovery.

The 18-year-old has been out of action since he suffered a hamstring issue against Celta Vigo and went on to miss the final six league games of Barcelona’s campaign.

However, even that didn’t stop the teenager from winning the Zarra trophy alongside Ferran Torres, signifying the incredible season that he had.

Now, as quoted by The Guardian, De la Fuente believes Lamine is progressing faster than expected as he continues his return to full fitness.

“He’s getting better fast, hitting all the targets earlier. 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, not play, wait for the second game,” he said.

Spain will not rush Lamine

Yamal won’t be rushed back into action. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Luis de la Fuente’s words are a clear message that Spain will not rush Lamine back to action. They understand how much they need him for the important part of the tournament.

Lamine is one player in the Spain squad who does not have a like-for-like replacement. There are very few players in the world who can replicate what the Spaniard does from the right wing.

De la Fuente also went on to speak about the pressure around Lamine, saying:

“Lamine was born for this. He has a daring character. Maybe that [pressure] would have overwhelmed you or me. But these guys are special.”

“How many times have we asked of a player: ‘How good was that guy, what happened to him? Why didn’t he make it?’ Because you have to be good at football and a thousand things more.”

“Lamine was 16 [at the Euros], 18 now, he puts up with brutal media pressure and makes very few errors.

de la Fuente heaped praise on Yamal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

One minute, one mistake, and the focus is on that; that’s not fair. There are hours, days, with physios, nutritionists, psychologists, coaches … it’s the work, the values.”

Messi comparison kept in perspective

The Spain coach went even further, placing Lamine in rare company. He continued:

“Footballers are people of high ability, so intelligent. They are geniuses and then there are those that are touched by God’s wand and there are very few of those. Lamine, Messi …”

Still, De la Fuente was careful when asked if Lamine is Messi’s successor. He kept those comparisons grounded.

“Messi: Those are big words. Messi has been, is, and will always be … he is football,” he said.

This is exactly the balance that is needed when talking about Lamine. The boy is extraordinary, but the last thing he needs is to be buried under those impossible comparisons.

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest ever to have played the game, and if Lamine can go on to have even half the career that the Argentinian has had, he would go down as a football legend by the time he hangs up his boots.