Spain Faces Saudi Arabia as Yamal Remains Doubtful for World Cup Clash

Spain will try to bounce back from a disappointing draw with Cape Verde when it meets Saudi Arabia on Sunday at 19:00 in Atlanta, aiming for its first win at the 2026 World Cup and an advantage in the race for a playoff place. After the opening round, every team in the group has one point, after Saudi Arabia and Uruguay drew 1:1 in the other match, leaving Spain frustrated but still able to recover its position.

The main question ahead of the game is Lamine Yamal’s fitness. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said the Barcelona and national team star still needs to be assessed, adding in comments to the Spanish media that “he definitely will not play 90 minutes, but about 60.” Later, at his press conference, he said, “Lamine is fine, he will play as much as we think is right. The important thing is that he is back. He is determined to do something great.”

Defender Aymeric Laporte is also a doubt because of knee sensitivity, although the Spanish federation said he completed Tuesday’s training session. While the team has been facing a negative atmosphere after its result, Andrés Iniesta came to its defense in a column for Marca.

Iniesta wrote that it is hard not to think about South Africa, but said Spain’s loss to Switzerland was worse than this draw. “There were hard hours and days,” he wrote, “but situations like these let you live in the moment and test you as a player, as an athlete and above all as a person. This is the time to stay calm.”