Lamine Yamal is expected to start for Spain against Uruguay in Guadalajara, a shift from the late cameos and half-time withdrawal that have shaped his minutes so far. The 18-year-old is being eased back carefully after a hamstring injury on April 22, but Spain still want him on the field from the outset.
That matters because Spain have not had a smooth start to their run in World Cup Group H. They were held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde despite 23 shots and 74% possession, then beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 six days later, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring twice and Yamal adding a close-range goal at the back post. For readers searching his name now, the question is not whether he can still change a game. It is how much of one he will be allowed to play.
Yamal only came off the bench late against Cape Verde, then was substituted at half time against Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. That careful handling points to a player Spain clearly trust, but do not yet want to overuse. Before the tournament, the Uruguay fixture was the one he was aiming to return for, and the expectation now is that he gets that chance from the start rather than as a late option.
There is still a limit attached to that return. Yamal is unlikely to last the full 90 minutes against Uruguay, which fits the wider plan around his recovery and Spain’s schedule. They expect to remain in North America for five more matches if they keep moving through the World Cup, and every extra minute he plays now has to be balanced against what comes next.
The hard part for Spain is that Yamal is both one of their sharpest attacking threats and one of the players they can least afford to lose again. He became only the tenth man to score at a World Cup before his 19th birthday, which is why his fitness is being handled with so much caution. Spain want him starting in Uruguay. They just do not sound ready to promise that he will stay there for the full match.
