Spain vs Saudi Arabia: Lamine Yamal returns to starting XI for crucial FIFA World Cup 2026 clash

Spain have recalled teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to the starting lineup for Sunday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H encounter against Saudi Arabia at the Atlanta Stadium, as Luis de la Fuente’s side look to bounce back from a disappointing opening-game draw.

Yamal, making his first start in nearly two months after recovering from a hamstring injury, is one of four changes made by de la Fuente following Spain’s frustrating 0-0 stalemate against Cape Verde. The Barcelona star’s inclusion is expected to provide the creativity and attacking spark that was missing in Spain’s tournament opener.

Advertisement

Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also return to the XI, with Marcos Llorente, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Gavi making way.

De la Fuente had kept Yamal’s decision under wraps

Ahead of the contest, de la Fuente remained non-committal about Yamal’s involvement, insisting Spain would prioritise the youngster’s fitness before making a final decision.

“He is fine, it is the best news. We will observe his conditions, the best plan will be made before the match. We always prioritise players’ health. Lamine should bring positive impact if he takes the field,” the Spain coach had said.

Despite criticism following the draw against Cape Verde, de la Fuente maintained there was no sense of panic within the camp and backed his players to respond.

“Had we won it 2-0, the narrative would be completely different. There is no anxiety within the squad. We absolutely need to win this game, and the players are fired up,” he added.

Spain head into the match seeking their first victory of the tournament, while Saudi Arabia will be aiming to build on the confidence gained from their 1-1 draw against Uruguay and potentially pull off one of the biggest upsets of the group stage.

Spain XI vs Saudi Arabia

Spain: Simon; Cucurella, Laporte, Cubarsi, Porro; Baena, Rodri, Pedri; Olmo, Oyarzabal, Yamal.

Saudi Arabia: Al Owais; Al Tambakti, Lajami, Al Amri, Abdulhamid, Al-Harbi; Nasser Al-Dawsari, Al-Juwayr, Alkhaibari; Feras Albrikan, Al-Dawsari.