Spanish Press: 'Spain Doesn't Miss Lamine Yamal; Solutions Abound Even Without Him'

The recent international break for the Spanish national team saw widespread controversy surrounding Lamine Yamal, as the young player became a major point of tension between his club, Barcelona, and the Spanish Football Federation. The Spanish FA accused Barcelona of failing to inform the national team's coaching staff that Yamal had undergone surgery to treat groin pain, rendering him unable to participate in the November matches.

“La Roja” players were not particularly affected by this issue, as they secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Georgia last Saturday evening. The Spanish national team did not suffer from the absence of the Barcelona star, nor from the absence of his teammates Pedri, Nico Williams, and Dean Huijsen. This prompted several Spanish media outlets on Sunday to question Lamine Yamal's importance to the national team.

Numerous newspapers highlighted the team's excellent collective performance, even without Barcelona's number 10. The aim was not to diminish Lamine Yamal's value but rather to emphasize Spain's collective strength, demonstrating that every player, even substitutes, delivered a performance on par with the starters.

El Mundo newspaper stated: “Spain, the authority of play and goal, with or without Lamine Yamal. If he is not there, Spain finds other solutions.” El Español, for its part, reported: “Spain does not miss Lamine Yamal.”

El Debate went as far as titling its article: “Who Remembers Yamal? Spain Shines and Secures Its Virtual World Cup Ticket.” In a related context, some analyses on social media included biased opinions, with many Real Madrid fans suggesting that Spain is capable of winning titles without the Barcelona player.