Lamine Yamal ‘not happy’ despite Spain’s 2026 World Cup triumph

Lamine Yamal says he was not satisfied with his performance at the 2026 World Cup, despite helping Spain win the tournament.

The Barcelona and Spain forward believes he could have contributed more in the competition and is already looking ahead to the next World Cup in 2030, when he hopes to produce a stronger performance.

Speaking to Movistar Plus, Yamal said Spain’s victory did not bring him the happiness he expected. He scored one goal during the tournament but felt his overall contribution fell short of his own standards.

“After winning the World Cup, I was not happy,” said Yamal. “The injury is a real issue, but I do not think it was the reason, because I know that if the World Cup had been held at another time, I would have been at the same level if I had returned from injury.”

Yamal had been affected by an injury during the final weeks of last season, which disrupted his preparations for the tournament. However, the 19-year-old rejected the idea that the problem was the main explanation for failing to reach the level he had expected of himself.

The Barcelona player also argued that some of his most important work was not always reflected in goals, assists or other statistics. He said his movement frequently created opportunities for his team-mates by drawing several opponents towards him.

“I did many things that people did not notice, such as attracting the attention of three opposition players,” Yamal added. “I think it is a great thing for a manager to have a player capable of doing that.”

Even so, Yamal maintained that he was unhappy with his displays for Spain. He suggested that another player producing the same performances might have received greater praise, while he believed he had the ability to offer more to the national team.

“I was not satisfied with my performance because I know that if another player had produced the same level as me, people would have considered that they had had a great World Cup,” he said.

“For me, I could have done more. So yes, what I produced helped the team, but I am really looking forward to the next World Cup.”

The 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches also taking place in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Yamal is therefore targeting the tournament as an opportunity to provide a different impression after his experience at the 2026 World Cup.