De la Fuente Defends Yamal Decisions Amid Club Versus Country Tension
Luis de la Fuente has insisted he holds a clear conscience over Spain’s handling of Lamine Yamal, addressing a long running dispute with Barcelona over the teenager’s international workload.
The Spain head coach has faced sustained criticism from the Catalan club after Yamal was diagnosed with pubalgia following the first international break of the season, an issue that sidelined the winger for several weeks and limited his national team appearances since the summer.
Tensions escalated earlier in the campaign when Barcelona manager Hansi Flick publicly criticised Spain’s use of the 18 year old, claiming Yamal had travelled and played while in pain. Flick revealed the forward required painkillers and was unable to train between matches, describing the situation as poor player management.
De la Fuente responded at the time with surprise, pointing to Flick’s own experience as a former national team coach and attempting to refocus attention on Spain’s World Cup objectives rather than the growing club versus country debate.
With the calendar turning toward a new year, De la Fuente has now offered his most definitive stance yet. Speaking to Diario AS, the 64 year old stressed that player welfare remains non negotiable, stating that any doubt over Yamal’s fitness resulted in him being rested and sent back to Barcelona. He reiterated that his primary responsibility is to Spain and to field the best possible squad, a principle he says fully justifies his decisions.
Spain’s context strengthens De la Fuente’s position. La Roja cruised through 2026 World Cup qualification unbeaten, securing early passage to the tournament and allowing the March international window to serve as a final evaluation phase rather than a survival mission.
Attention is now shifting toward squad depth and selection battles. Beyond Yamal, Barcelona have pushed for left back Alejandro Balde to receive further international opportunities, while Real Madrid sources have highlighted Alvaro Carreras following his strong adaptation since arriving from Benfica.
De la Fuente addressed both cases calmly, outlining the competitive nature of international selection. With Marc Cucurella and Alejandro Grimaldo already established options at left back, he acknowledged Balde’s previous involvement and Carreras’ experience at youth level, confirming both are on Spain’s preliminary list.
The Spain coach was clear that external pressure will not dictate his choices. While acknowledging clubs’ pride in seeing players called up, he underlined that final decisions remain independent and based purely on form and balance within the squad.
As Spain look ahead to their World Cup campaign, De la Fuente’s message is consistent and firm. Player health, competitive integrity, and national team priorities come first, and in his view, the results so far leave no room for regret.