Robert Lewandowski Explains Why Lamine Yamal Did Not Perform His Best With Spain

Robert Lewandowski explained why Lamine Yamal did not reach his best form during Spain’s run to the 2026 World Cup title. The former Barcelona striker said Yamal arrived after a hamstring injury that kept him out during the final stages of Barcelona’s La Liga campaign, and that Spain managed his workload by limiting minutes in the early matches. Despite the interruption, the 19-year-old made eight appearances across the tournament, scored one goal in 616 minutes, and recorded a tournament-high 35 dribbles, contributing to victories over Portugal, France, and ultimately Argentina in the final. Lewandowski told ESPN that viewers did not see Yamal’s “absolute best,” arguing that coming into a World Cup after roughly eight weeks without playing left insufficient time for training. He added he supported Spain because of close ties with former teammates from Camp Nou. After international duty, Yamal is set to work toward peak fitness ahead of Barcelona’s next campaign.