Spain's teen superstar Lamine Yamal cleared to play in his — and Atlanta's — World Cup debut

ATLANTA (AP) — Lamine Yamal is in “ideal condition” to play in Spain’s World Cup opener against Cape Verde on Monday, coach Luis de la Fuente said.

Yamal is not expected to start the game in Atlanta, but has been cleared to play in his return from a hamstring injury that forced the 18-year-old superstar to miss the final weeks of the season for Barcelona.

“We are following the indications of medical staff from Barcelona, his club, and also from the Spanish national team, with the fitness coaches. Everything says that Lamine Yamal is ready to play tomorrow,” de la Fuente said at a news conference. “We don’t know how much. It is a matter of how the game is evolving, the game situation, that gives you a hint of when he might jump on the pitch, but he is in ideal condition to play tomorrow.”