Lamine Yamal ready for World Cup knockout stage, reflects on family's past struggles

Spain's national football team is heading into the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup with optimism, set to face Austria next. Should they advance, a potential clash with Croatia or Portugal awaits.

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I feel ready to play a full game now. I will give my all, I want to win and I will give my maximum to achieve it.

Despite a stable team performance, with a draw against Cape Verde and convincing wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, all eyes remain on 18-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal. Having overcome an early injury that affected his readiness for the tournament, Yamal has declared himself fully fit and prepared to take on significant responsibility.

"I feel ready to play a full game now. I will give my all, I want to win and I will give my maximum to achieve it," Yamal stated, signaling his likely inclusion in the starting lineup. When asked about the immense public pressure on a global icon his age, surrounded by fans seeking photos and autographs, Yamal displayed remarkable maturity.

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I never put pressure on myself. There are people who have suffered much more.

He acknowledged the learning curve but emphasized his grounded perspective. "I never put pressure on myself. There are people who have suffered much more," Yamal said, recalling his family's difficult past. "My mother gave birth to me at 16 – that's real pressure. My father had to go out on the street and find a way for us to survive, collecting things just to put food on the table. That was real pressure. I just have to go out on the field, play football and make Spaniards happy."

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My mother gave birth to me at 16 – that's real pressure. My father had to go out on the street and find a way for us to survive, collecting things just to put food on the table. That was real pressure. I just have to go out on the field, play football and make Spaniards happy.