Lamine Yamal backs Spain, doubts France and champions Barcelona’s push for Julian Álvarez

Spain’s 18‑year‑old winger Lamine Yamal said he believes Spain can win the 2026 World Cup and that France “has not beaten us in two years”, rejecting the idea that the French side are favourites. He described the tournament as “different from everything” and vowed to “win the Cup”. After recovering from a hamstring problem, Yamal confirmed he is ready to play the full 90 minutes against Austria in the round of 16.

During the same press tour Yamal praised Barcelona’s transfer targets, naming Atletico Madrid striker Julian Álvarez as his first choice and also mentioning Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal. He stated that if Álvarez joins Barcelona the club would welcome him “with open arms”. Barcelona have formally submitted an offer for Álvarez, while Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo reiterated that the Argentine is not for sale and has a €500 million release clause. The competing interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid and Arsenal keeps the saga in the headlines.

Yamal also highlighted other standout performers at the World Cup, including Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr., Lionel Messi and Morocco’s Ismael Saibari, and stressed that the knockout stage is where the competition truly begins.