Why isn’t Lamine Yamal playing for Spain vs. Georgia in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers?

Spain arrives in Tbilisi on the brink of sealing its place at the 2026 World Cup, but it will do so without Lamine Yamal, whose absence against the Georgia national team has added an unexpected layer of intrigue.

Spain arrives in Tbilisi on the brink of sealing its place at the 2026 World Cup, but it will do so without Lamine Yamal, whose absence against the Georgia national team has added an unexpected layer of intrigue. With La Roja pushing for a fifth consecutive qualification victory and Georgia clinging to mathematical hope in Group E, the sudden withdrawal of Yamal has intensified scrutiny around the build-up to this crucial match.

Spain has been utterly dominant throughout this qualifying cycle, sweeping aside every opponent with an authority that recalls the golden years of its soccer dynasty. Luis De La Fuente’s men have scored 15 goals and conceded none in their opening qualifiers, a run that places them firmly atop Group E. A victory in Tbilisi would all but secure their spot at next summer’s tournament, with the team enjoying a staggering unbeaten streak in competitive play.

Georgia, meanwhile, stands at the opposite end of the spectrum: hopeful, talented, but running out of time. It must beat Spain and later Bulgaria, while also relying on Turkey’s collapse, to have even the faintest chance of reaching the playoffs. Yet despite the stacked odds, Willy Sagnol’s players will not lack for belief at a packed Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena.

The mystery surrounding Yamal’s absence

Lamine Yamal’s name was on the initial November squad list. His withdrawal, however, is what set off alarms across Spain and Catalonia. It wasn’t merely the fact that he wasn’t available—it was the vagueness, the suddenness, and the silence that followed.

“Lamine Yamal has withdrawn due to injury,” reported the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), marking the moment the veil lifted. The reason: a groin issue that has troubled him on and off this season. Barcelona and the Spanish FA have been locked in tension over the management of his workload, a conflict that resurfaced sharply with this latest episode.

Further reporting stated that Yamal had undergone an “invasive radiofrequency procedure”, one that Spain’s staff “say they were not aware was happening.” This revelation reignited frustration within the federation about the Blaugrana’s handling of the teenager’s condition—particularly because Yamal, at 18 years old, has already carried a workload that many seasoned players would struggle to endure.

Ongoing tensions between Spain and Barcelona

Tensions between Barcelona and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have been rising in recent months due to the way Lamine Yamal’s fitness has been managed. The teenager’s ongoing battle with pubalgia has left the Blaugrana dissatisfied with his forced participation in the September international break.

The soreness returned in October, and Lamine missed the Spain call-up as a result. Even though he was summoned this month, he had to withdraw from the squad after receiving treatment for pubalgia, which infuriated both the RFEF and Spain manager, Luis de la Fuente.

In the midst of the intensifying controversy, De La Fuente chose to address the matter thoroughly. “I make a call-up based on the player’s performance in previous matches. In this case, I’m calling up Lamine because he’s played three 90-minute matches, which indicates that he’s in perfect condition”, he explained.

“We always certify through medical services that the players are healthy. There is a protocol that if a player has discomfort, he comes in for tests and then has to go home. Sometimes it is done, and sometimes it is not. Always, now and in the past, we prioritize the health of the player.”