Spain winger Lamine Yamal did not participate in his team's initial training session in New Jersey as preparations ramped up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina scheduled for Sunday.
Spain arrived in New Jersey on Wednesday, the day after their 2-0 semi-final victory over France, and held their initial training session on Thursday at the New York Red Bulls' training facility.
They were not present for the session, along with Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro. Nonetheless, AS reports that both players are still anticipated to be ready for selection as Spain prepares to face Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
As the World Cup approaches its finale, both finalists are eager to sidestep any last-minute injuries that could hinder their pursuit of the trophy.
Here is the most recent update on injuries concerning important players.
Crystal Palace winger Yeremy Pino incurred a collarbone injury during Spain’s group-stage game against Uruguay, which initially sparked concerns about the end of his tournament participation.
However, later X-rays showed that Pino avoided a fracture, suffering instead from an acromioclavicular sprain. Although the diagnosis was encouraging, he hasn’t played since the injury and is thought to be unlikely to return for the final.
Liverpool’s recent acquisition, Victor Munoz, has not yet made his World Cup debut due to a calf injury sustained before the tournament started.
The Spanish player faced another challenge after being diagnosed with a new muscle injury, which will prevent him from participating in Sunday’s final.
Argentina is also dealing with a major defensive issue due to Facundo Medina’s calf injury.
The defender left the field limping during Argentina’s Round of 32 win over Cape Verde and has not played since. After starting three of Argentina’s first four matches, Medina is now in a race to heal before the final.
If Medina is unable to recover his fitness, Nicolas Tagliafico is likely to keep his position at left-back after demonstrating solid performances during Argentina's progress in the knockout stages.
While Yamal's absence from Thursday's training raised worries among Spanish fans, reports suggest that he and Porro are not anticipated to miss the crucial match of the tournament, providing coach Luis de la Fuente with optimism about having a nearly complete squad for the upcoming game against Lionel Scaloni's Argentina on Sunday.