Spain Clears 18-Year-Old Lamine Yamal for Full World Cup Knockout Matches

Q: Can Spain's dominant team finally break its 16-year winless streak in World Cup knockout rounds?

Yes. Spain has already ended that 16-year World Cup knockout drought by beating Austria 3-0 in the Round of 32 on July 2, 2026. The result matters beyond the scoreline. It is Spain’s first World Cup knockout win since lifting the trophy in 2010, and it reinforces the view that Luis de la Fuente’s side is one of the tournament’s strongest teams. Spain came into the knockouts unbeaten, with three straight clean sheets in the group stage, and then advanced comfortably against Austria through a Mikel Oyarzabal brace and a Pedro Porro goal. The broader evidence supports the idea that this is a team capable of going much further. De la Fuente has already delivered the 2023 Nations League and Euro 2024 titles, and Spain has been widely rated among the favorites by ESPN and The Athletic because of its balance, midfield control, defensive solidity and more direct attacking play. Lamine Yamal’s return to full fitness adds another major weapon after his limited group-stage minutes following a hamstring injury. Spain is also getting healthier at the right time. Yerémy Pino is back, Victor Muñoz is available, and Nico Williams could return in the next round. That depth matters in a long tournament. So the question has effectively been answered on the field: Spain’s dominant team has broken the streak. The bigger question now is whether this squad can turn that breakthrough into a genuine run at the title.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jul 1

Luis De La Fuente said Lamine Yamal can now play a full match if needed, ending Spain’s cautious minutes management ahead of Thursday’s round-of-32 game against Austria.
141 minutes across three group matches reflected that caution after Yamal’s April 22 hamstring tear, though the Barcelona winger still scored once and arrived with 24 goals and 17 assists this season.
Spain also got a broader injury boost: Yerémy Pino is available after a shoulder scare, and Victor Muñoz is fit after missing the group stage, while Nico Williams is still unlikely to face Austria.
Three straight clean sheets have strengthened belief Spain can end a run of early World Cup exits and win its first knockout match since its 2010 title campaign.