New York, July 18: Spain forward Lamine Yamal has overcome fitness concerns and will be available for Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina, head coach Luis de la Fuente said.
Yamal, 19, was seen limping after Spain’s 2-0 win over France in the semifinals and missed his team’s training session on Thursday.
“He had a strong knock, which was very painful,” De la Fuente was quoted by Xinhua as saying. “Just to err on the side of caution, we decided to give him some rest. He was fine in training today. He participated with his teammates. He is fine and in optimal condition.”
De la Fuente said Saturday’s final training session would be the last opportunity to catch any late setback before Sunday’s match at New York New Jersey Stadium.
“That’s the most critical time,” he said. “If there are any setbacks, there won’t be time to recover.”
The match will be Spain’s first World Cup final since it won the tournament in 2010. Argentina is chasing back-to-back titles and a fourth overall, having previously won in 1978, 1986 and 2022.
De la Fuente, whose side has reached the final unbeaten with only one goal conceded, said both teams were deserved finalists and saw similarities in the way they play.
“On Sunday we will watch a great show,” he said. (IANS)
