Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente has robustly defended his decision to call up Barcelona star Lamine Yamal for crucial upcoming World Cup qualifiers, stating that the young winger is in “perfect shape” despite his club’s reported preference for him to rest.
The inclusion of the 18-year-old comes amid recurring friction with FC Barcelona, who have expressed concerns over the player’s demanding workload and a recent pubalgia (groin) injury.
De la Fuente, however, dismissed the notion of resting the player purely out of club concern, emphasizing the national team’s primary objective to secure World Cup qualification.
Speaking at a press conference, De la Fuente was quoted as saying: “It’s a blessing to have a player like Lamine Yamal who has the ability to play so many games. Lamine is perfect.”
The Spain coach justified his selection strategy by noting the high stakes of the matches and the principle of meritocracy, rejecting the idea of rotational scheduling based on club affiliation.
De la Fuente insisted that if Yamal is capable of performing at the highest level for his club, he must be available for his country.
He added, “We put our best players in because we have the great responsibility of representing our country. Besides, it would be very unfair to give minutes to players based on their origin. I won’t do that.”
De la Fuente further noted that FIFA studies show national team minutes account for a minimal percentage of a player’s annual total, seeking to downplay the impact of international duty on workload management.