Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente announced its squad for the 2026 World Cup on Monday, with many familiar names included ahead of the tournament's kick-off in around two weeks.
Among those named to the Spanish roster was Lamine Yamal, the teenage winger from FC Barcelona.
Yamal's inclusion follows a season where he made 45 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona, scoring 24 goals and assisting on 18 more while helping defend the La Liga title.
However, Yamal's selection comes with some uncertainty surrounding his fitness, as he suffered a late-season injury in one of La Liga's last games of the campaign.
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Yamal is currently recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in a La Liga match against Celta Vigo, which ruled him out for the remainder of the club season. According to The Athletic, reporting the news on May 18, Yamal is set to miss Spain's World Cup opener on June 15.
Against that background, and shortly after the announcement, ESPN FC shared a video showing Yamal’s family reacting to his call-up in real time, and in clear relief that he was named into the squad.
Relatives gathered in a living room erupted in celebration as his name was revealed, with family members jumping, dancing, and waving Spain jerseys.
The moment highlighted the significance of the call-up for the 18-year-old, who is set to take part in his first World Cup.
Spain will open its World Cup campaign against Cape Verde, and Yamal was not confirmed to be available for the second game, against Saudi Arabia on June 21, at the time of De la Fuente's announcement.
After its matchups against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, Spain will wrap up the group stage with a game against Uruguay on June 26.
