Barcelona superstar’s chances of starting for Spain vs Saudi Arabia growing

Barcelona superstar’s chances of starting for Spain vs Saudi Arabia growing

class="wp-block-paragraph">Spain had one of the most disappointing starts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they were held to a goalless draw by minnows Cabo Verde.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">It was a toothless attacking display from La Roja, who were missing the attacking flair of Lamine Yamal. The youngster was benched on account of his caution over his injury, though he did later come on as a substitute.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">Following Spain’s mishap against Cabo Verde, there are calls for Yamal to start the next game against Saudi Arabia, in what could be a must-win encounter for Luis de la Fuente’s men.

Yamal’s chances of starting against Saudi Arabia

class="wp-block-paragraph">According to COPE, Yamal’s chances of starting against Saudi Arabia are increasing as Spain is more anxious about the need to win their first match of the World Cup.

Will Yamal start vs Saudi Arabia? (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

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class="wp-block-paragraph">As evident after the match against Cabo Verde, the decision to deploy Gavi on the flanks did not quite work, while Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal offered little to no productivity upfront.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">That is where Yamal’s flair and ability to create something out of nothing could come in handy for Spain as they look to secure an early breakthrough.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">Yamal featured for 19 minutes as a substitute against Cabo Verde. So he should be fit enough to start against Saudi Arabia.

What’s the catch?All eyes on Yamal’s fitness heading into the Saudi Arabia game. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

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class="wp-block-paragraph">However, the report adds that Yamal, even if he starts the game against Saudi Arabia, may not feature in more than 45 minutes.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">That means the Spanish international could be taken off at half-time by de la Fuente, as the Spanish team does not want to take any risks with his fitness.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">That means Spain must start the game well if they decide to go ahead and put Yamal in the starting eleven. Yamal, for his part, is keen on starting against Saudi Arabia as well.

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class="wp-block-paragraph">The onus will be on the Barcelona superstar to create chances or even score a goal himself, knowing Spain lacks the presence of a potent number nine that other big teams have.