Lamine Yamal has withdrawn from the Spain squad after Barcelona administered medical treatment for a groin injury, escalating tensions between the club and the national team.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been released from the Spanish national team and will miss La Roja’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkiye, according to a report from Football Espana.
The 18-year-old completed 90 minutes against Real Madrid and Club Brugge and came off the bench against Celta Vigo on Sunday, despite having been “dragging” a sports hernia in the groin area for weeks.
However, on Monday morning, Barcelona applied an ‘invasive radiofrequency treatment’ to deal with the issue, requiring a recommended recovery period of seven to ten days.
A statement from Las Rozas, the Spanish training base, indicated that the timing of the procedure, performed just as the player was due to link up with the national team, has further “tensed relations between Barcelona and Spain.”
The Spanish federation (RFEF) stated they were unaware of the treatment, expressing ‘surprise and dismay’ after finding out at 13:47 on Monday that Yamal had undergone the procedure that same morning.
They claim Barcelona did not communicate the treatment until a report was sent to them at 22:40 on Monday night, which included the recommended rest period.
This incident represents the latest episode in a battle between Barcelona and Spain over the fitness of their players, following a flashpoint in September when it was claimed Yamal had been given pain-killing injections to feature for Spain.
Rayo Vallecano forward Jorge de Frutos has been called up by de la Fuente to replace the Barcelona star.