Lamine Yamal missed training on Thursday ahead of the World Cup final and was pictured with strapping on his left thigh. Spain face Argentina on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and the immediate question is whether their most watchable young player is fully fit for Spain vs Argentina.

Yamal came into the tournament carrying a hamstring injury and was used sparingly in the group stage. He has still played in 7 World Cup appearances, scored 1 goal and provided 0 assists, so his availability matters even if Spain have enough other options to carry the attacking load.

Spain's fitness concern around Yamal

The image of Yamal on a yoga mat with the thigh bandage visible was the clearest sign that this is not a routine rest day. Spain have already won 5 straight World Cup matches on the way to the final, and Mikel Oyarzabal said the squad have "earned the right to dream" before Sunday's game.

There is a small split in the reporting on just how much Yamal has been managed across the tournament. Some coverage says he was used sparingly early on, while the match data shows he has still logged 7 appearances. Either way, the point is simple: Spain are into the final, and they are still monitoring a thigh issue on one of their key attackers.

Smoke concerns in New Jersey

FIFA is separately discussing health guidance because of wildfire-smoke concerns around MetLife Stadium. The five boroughs of New York have been under an Air Quality Health Advisory since Wednesday, and pollution expert Michael Petroni said: "It's reasonable to say you're smoking 10 cigarettes today by breathing the air in New York City."

That is not the same as saying the final is in danger. The sources only show concern and talks over precautions, with the match still scheduled for Sunday in New Jersey.

For Spain, the more immediate problem is Yamal's thigh. For everyone else involved in the final, the air quality conversation has become part of the build-up to Spain vs Argentina.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →