As the World Cup draws near, several high-profile players are battling to be fit for their respective nations, with injury concerns casting shadows over early tournament prospects. Among those closely watched are Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, Brazilian superstar Neymar, and the USA's influential attacker Christian Pulisic, all of whom have faced recent setbacks.
Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Spanish winger, has returned to full training with the squad after being sidelined since late April with a left hamstring injury. Despite participating in sessions at Spain's Tennessee base, his readiness for their World Cup opener against Cape Verde on Monday remains 'touch-and-go'. Coach Luis de la Fuente expressed optimism, stating he expects Yamal to be "ready to play," even if his involvement is initially limited to "just a few minutes." This follows his impressive performance at the European Championships two years ago, where he excelled at just 16.
Meanwhile, Brazil's campaign has been complicated by a grade two calf injury sustained by Neymar three weeks before the tournament. The 34-year-old missed Brazil's opening draw against Morocco. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti has conveyed a hopeful outlook, suggesting Neymar could be in contention for their subsequent fixture against Haiti next Friday. Ancelotti remarked on Friday, "Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible. The expectation is that he can rejoin the group [training] next week."
For co-hosts the United States, Christian Pulisic was withdrawn at half-time during their 4-1 victory over Paraguay due to a calf problem. Despite the immediate concern, the knock is not thought to be serious. Manager Mauricio Pochettino clarified, "He received a kick in his calf and he felt tight at the end of the first half. We didn't want to take any risks." Pulisic himself later told reporters he was "really hoping that it's nothing," indicating a cautious approach was taken. The USA's next match is against Australia in San Francisco on Friday.
Further injury news includes Canada's captain Alphonso Davies, who missed their 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina due to a hamstring injury sustained in May. Despite this, coach Jesse Marsch remains optimistic about the Bayern Munich winger's participation in the group stage, citing positive MRI results. England also have an eye on Bukayo Saka, who is managing an Achilles issue but made an appearance in a recent friendly, suggesting he could be available for the Three Lions' opener against Croatia.
Source: Team and Manager Press Conferences