Yamal declares 90‑minute readiness as Spain seek knockout win

Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona winger, told Tiempo de Juego that he is at 90‑80% fitness, has trained with desire and is ready to play a full 90 minutes for Spain in their upcoming knockout match. He added that his condition continues to improve and will not decline. Spain entered the FIFA World Cup as one of the favourites, but after the group stage the consensus is that the side has largely disappointed, lacking cutting‑edge winger output. The situation is compounded by Nico Williams being virtually unavailable and Yamal still recovering from injury. Yamal explained that he avoids half‑chances on the field to prevent a relapse, and he did not sprint to the fullest against Uruguay because qualification was already secured. He said he will let the coach decide his minutes and will inform him of his condition.

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He praised the midfield duo Rodri and Pedri as very good and highlighted the calm they bring to the team. Yamal also acknowledged the pressure of being Barça’s number 10, but said he is happy with the attention it brings. Commenting on the recent eliminations of the Netherlands and Germany, Yamal described the Dutch tournament as more equal and the German one as more surprising. He reflected on his first World Cup goal, saying it gave him unprecedented happiness and that he would not cry even if Spain won the tournament.

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The interview was accompanied by a photo taken by David Ramos and another image by Florencia Tan Jun. Both pictures were used to illustrate Yamal’s comments.