The ongoing saga involving Lamine Yamal and the Spanish national team took a surprising turn on Tuesday, as the young Barcelona star was released from the squad ahead of Spain’s crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Georgia and Turkiye, scheduled for November 15 and November 18. This decision came amidst mounting tensions between the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and Barcelona, largely stemming from concerns over Yamal’s physical condition and his ongoing groin injury.
Lamine Yamal, a rising talent at Barcelona and a promising winger for Spain, had been called up by Spanish manager Luis de la Fuente despite not being fully fit. The player has been struggling with a persistent groin issue that has affected his availability and performance since the start of the 2025–26 season. Despite these concerns, de la Fuente initially insisted that including Yamal in the squad posed “zero risk.” However, the situation escalated when Yamal submitted a medical report indicating he needed to rest for 7 to 10 days during the international break. This report revealed that Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure on the very day the Spanish team’s official training camp began, November 10. The procedure was intended to address discomfort in his pubic area, but the key point of contention was that the Spanish national team’s medical staff had not been informed beforehand.
The RFEF issued a statement expressing surprise and concern about the procedure and the lack of prior communication. They emphasized that the player’s health, safety, and well-being were their top priorities, which led to the decision to release Yamal from the current squad. The federation only received detailed information about the procedure and the subsequent medical recommendation late on the evening of November 10, well after the training camp had started. This breakdown in communication has intensified the strain between the Spanish FA and Barcelona, raising questions about player management and medical transparency.
Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish national team coach, voiced his astonishment at the situation, describing it as unprecedented in his experience. “I had never experienced a situation like that. I don’t think it’s very normal,” he said. He also expressed frustration over being left in the dark without prior information about Yamal’s health issues, highlighting the difficulty of managing a national team when such critical details are withheld.
The controversy around Yamal’s fitness is not new. The current groin issue has been a persistent problem for the young winger, who has already faced two significant injuries in his career. His first major injury occurred in the 2024–25 season when he suffered a grade-one injury to the anterior tibiofibular ligament during a LaLiga match against Leganes, sidelining him for 21 days. The groin injury, however, has been more troublesome and has lingered into the current 2025–26 season, causing him to miss multiple matches for Barcelona.
During this season, Yamal missed five games due to the groin problem, including important fixtures such as the opening Champions League away match against Newcastle United and four LaLiga games against Valencia, Getafe, and Real Oviedo. He made a notable comeback on September 28 against Real Sociedad, coming off the bench to play 32 minutes and providing an assist for Robert Lewandowski’s winning goal just one minute after entering the pitch, helping Barcelona secure a 2–1 victory. Unfortunately, the groin issue continued to hamper him, forcing him to miss the subsequent away game against Sevilla, a match Barcelona lost 4–1.
Yamal’s injury struggles have become a focal point not only for Barcelona but also for the Spanish national team’s medical and coaching staff. German manager Hansi Flick, who previously oversaw the Spain team, publicly criticized how Yamal was managed during the September international break. Flick claimed that Yamal was not treated carefully enough and that he played two matches—against Bulgaria and Turkiye—despite already suffering from discomfort. According to Flick, Yamal left the team in pain, having played 73 and 79 minutes in those matches, with only painkillers to manage the injury. Flick expressed his disappointment, stating, “They gave him painkillers, and he played 73 and 79 minutes. And between games, he didn’t train. That’s not taking care of the players.” He emphasized that Spain, despite being one of the world’s best national teams with top players, failed to protect their athletes properly.
This criticism sheds light on the