Spain have received a major boost ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, with head coach Luis de la Fuente confirming that teenage star Lamine Yamal is fit and available to face Argentina on Sunday.

The 19-year-old forward had sparked injury concerns after appearing to limp off following Spain’s 2-0 semi-final victory over France. He also sat out Thursday’s training session, raising doubts over his availability for the biggest match of the tournament. However, De la Fuente has now confirmed that the youngster has recovered and is ready for the final at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Luis de la Fuente provides Lamine Yamal injury update

Speaking ahead of the title clash, the Spain manager explained that Yamal’s absence from training was purely precautionary after he suffered a painful knock in the semi-final.

“He had a strong knock, which was very painful,” De la Fuente was quoted by Xinhua as saying. “Just to err on the side of caution, we decided to give him some rest. He was fine in training today. He participated with his teammates. He is fine and in optimal condition,” he added. 

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Spain will hold one final training session before the World Cup final, and De la Fuente said it will be the last opportunity to assess his squad before kickoff.

“That’s the most critical time,” he said. “If there are any setbacks, there won’t be time to recover,” De La Fuente said. 

Spain and Argentina ready for World Cup final

Spain will be playing in their first FIFA World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 2010. Argentina, meanwhile, are aiming to defend their title and win the competition for a fourth time after previous triumphs in 1978, 1986 and 2022. Spain have enjoyed an impressive campaign, reaching the final unbeaten while conceding only one goal throughout the tournament.

Despite the contrasting paths taken by the two finalists, De la Fuente believes both teams deserve their place in the championship match. 

“On Sunday we will watch a great show,” he said. “Two super teams, in my opinion, very similar in many respects in terms of attitude and talent. I believe both Spain and Argentina will have a game plan where talent and good football will rule over everything else.”

Spain wary of Argentina’s comeback ability

While Spain have largely dominated possession and controlled games with their defensive discipline, Argentina have repeatedly shown their ability to recover from difficult situations.

De la Fuente acknowledged that Lionel Scaloni’s side have consistently found ways to fight back during the knockout stages.

“They have been down on the scoreboard and been able to come back,” he said. “But we’ve also had situations like this in the history of our national team.” The Spain coach also pointed to similarities between himself and Scaloni in their approach to coaching.

“Lionel Scaloni and myself, we both share many concepts, values and principles that drive teams. We’re similar, and that shows that in the biggest teams you require those attitudes. When things are so level, it’s all down to details,” the Spanish coach noted.

No special marker for Lionel Messi

One of Spain’s biggest challenges will be stopping Lionel Messi, who has directly contributed to 12 of Argentina’s 19 goals at the tournament. Despite Messi’s influence, De la Fuente ruled out assigning a player to mark him throughout the game.

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The Spain boss recalled a previous experience against a young Messi while coaching Sevilla’s youth team.

Lionel Messi
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Lionel Messi celebrates after Argentina’s second goal against England | X [GOAL]

“We went to Barcelona, and I had heard great things about a kid named Messi,” the 65-year-old said. “So we assigned a player to mark him man-to-man, but in the 70th minute, I substituted the marker because he was on a yellow card. The score was 0-0, and in the span of 15 minutes, Messi scored four goals against us. So we won’t use man-to-man marking this time. We have to stay alert and pay special attention, certainly.”

Yamal told to be himself

As excitement builds around a potential showdown between Yamal and Messi, De la Fuente said the young Spain forward should focus on his own strengths rather than trying to imitate the Argentine captain.

“Messi is a role model to younger players, with his attitude and the way he plays,” he said. “Lamine has to be himself, and the best way we can support him is to let him be the person and footballer he is, because he has great potential.”

Spain's Lamine Yamal against Portugal during the Round of 16 match of the FIFA World Cup
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Spain’s Lamine Yamal against Portugal during the Round of 16 match of the FIFA World Cup | X [Forbes]

With Yamal declared fit and Spain chasing their second World Cup title, Sunday’s final promises to feature two of football’s biggest stars as Spain and Argentina battle for the biggest prize in international football.

FAQs

Is Lamine Yamal fit for the Spain vs Argentina World Cup final?

Yes. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed that Lamine Yamal has recovered from a knock and is available for the World Cup final.

Will Spain use man-marking to stop Lionel Messi?

No. Luis de la Fuente said Spain will not assign a man-marker to Messi but will stay alert and give the Argentina captain special attention.