The Backstage Call That Shook Spain: Yamal’s World Cup Snub Revealed

The backstage call that shaped a squad list

Spanish outlets reveal dramatic details behind Lamine Yamal's omission from Spain's World Cup qualifiers. The report notes that coach Luis de la Fuente spoke privately with the Barcelona star the Thursday before the squad announcement to inform him that he would be included, while indicating he would not feature due to injury.

What happened next: communications and controversy

The article explains that De la Fuente told the player that doctors from the Spanish federation would assess him at the Las Rozas training base upon his arrival, and if his health prevented participation, he would be sent back to Barcelona immediately.

There were ongoing tensions between Barcelona and the federation, with Deco and the federation's football operations chief Aitor Karanka attempting to ease tensions and find a consensus on players for the national team.

Initially, calls aimed to defuse the tension after Flick's remarks, then shifted to discussing players eligible for the squad. The consultations continued until the eve of the list announcement; despite Yamal's clear fitness issues, Barça did not publish an official injury report in time, and De la Fuente still listed him to comply with protocol, only for the federation to confirm his withdrawal later after receiving Barça's medical report.

The federation's statement stressed that the decision followed the usual protocol and that player health comes first, sending a subtle message to Barça: recovery comes first.

In a Friday press conference, De la Fuente defended his approach, saying there was no conflict with Flick and that he never pushes an injured player to play. He insisted that he only calls players who are physically ready and that he communicates with clubs regularly to assess status. With Yamal, communications continued, and the situation will unfold in the coming weeks.

Yamal remains one of Spain's brightest talents. The 17-year-old became the youngest player to feature for La Roja and the youngest scorer in the national team records during Euro 2024 qualifiers, and he played a pivotal role in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph and their run to the 2025 Nations League final, which they lost to Portugal.

Excluding Yamal from the October 2025 camp does not diminish his value; it reflects the Spanish team's commitment to his health as he has a long and bright future ahead. He has already become one of the main pillars of Spain's project for the coming years.

As Spain pursues World Cup 2026 qualification, Yamal's file will remain under scrutiny, since he is a rare talent and a central figure for the national team's project.

Sniper punchline 1: If there were drama credits, Yamal would be topping the charts—health first, plot twists later.

Sniper punchline 2: Relax, Barca fans; today it’s a phone call, tomorrow it’s a trophy parade.