Report: Lamine Yamal training separately but no concerns ahead of 2026 World Cup final vs Argentina

Spain has officially begun its final preparations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina this Sunday at MetLife Stadium. However, one of the more eye-opening developments of Thursday’s practice session came when reports surfaced indicating winger Lamine Yamal was training separately from the main group, though team officials insist there is currently no concern regarding his availability for the championship match.

As reported by Spanish outlets Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo, Yamal initially took the pitch alongside his teammates at the Melanie Lane Training Grounds, but he stepped aside during “rondo” warm-up drills to work individually on a sideline mat. The FC Barcelona phenom went through a series of light stretching exercises and followed a tailored physical program to manage his workload ahead of the final.

In the semifinal victory over France, Yamal played the full 90 minutes and had a stunning goal disallowed for offside while once again proving to be Spain’s most dangerous attacking outlet. However, sources indicate he is currently nursing a minor knock and slight discomfort in his right ankle, which occurred after an awkward landing on the final play of the game.

Additionally, during Thursday’s session, the teenager was spotted wearing a compression wrap on his left thigh. This is the same muscular zone that was injured prior to the tournament, an ailment that sidelined him for over a month and forced him to miss the final stretch of the domestic season with Barcelona.

Despite the cautionary measures, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) remains completely calm regarding Yamal’s physical condition. Team doctors fully expect the winger to rejoin the main group for Friday’s training session and be at 100 percent for the final against Argentina.

Pedro Porro also training individually

Starting right back Pedro Porro was another notable contributor held out of the full squad session to work through an individual recovery program. Porro experienced acute muscle tightness during the semifinal clash against France, leading to his 84th-minute substitution for Marcos Llorente, but the knock is not expected to threaten his availability for Sunday.

The dynamic fullback has developed into one of Spain’s most essential tactical assets, balancing defensive stability with immense attacking production. His relentless overlapping runs and intelligent inside underlaps have already produced two crucial tournament goals, finding the net against Austria and France to make him Spain’s joint-second leading scorer in the World Cup alongside Mikel Merino.