Lamine Yamal is reportedly battling a chronic groin condition that has left Barcelona concerned about the long-term fitness of their teenage star.
The 18-year-old winger, widely regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young talents, was seen grimacing in pain during Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clásico last week.
Spanish outlet Sport has since claimed that Yamal is suffering from pubalgia — an inflammation of the muscles and tendons around the pelvic area that often affects footballers and can be difficult to fully cure.
The problem has already sidelined Yamal for five matches across all competitions this season, and medical staff at the club are said to fear the injury could become a persistent issue.
Despite the discomfort, the Spanish international has continued to feature regularly for Barça, producing a string of impressive performances that underline both his resilience and importance to the team.
So far this campaign, Yamal has scored twice and provided five assists in just six La Liga appearances, in addition to netting in the 6-1 Champions League victory over Olympiacos.
His ability to influence games even while managing pain has drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi, who suffered from similar physical problems early in his Barcelona career.
Lamine Yamal struggled on Sunday as Barcelona lost to Real Madrid in El Clasico
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Messi, now 38, previously spoke about his own struggles with pubalgia, revealing the toll it took on his body during his formative years.
In a 2019 interview with Buenos Aires radio station club94.7, he said: “Pubalgia is complicated. I’ve suffered from it for a while now, I do little training and I cannot play all the games.
“It’s not a problem that can be solved overnight. I feel better now, but I still have not fully recovered and I still need treatment.”
Lamine Yamal will be hoping to drive Barcelona to LaLiga and Champions League success this season
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Lionel Messi battled with the same condition as Lamine Yamal during his own time at Barcelona
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Barcelona’s medical team will be hoping that Yamal, like Messi, can learn to manage the condition without it restricting his progress.
However, with the club juggling a congested schedule of domestic and European fixtures, there is growing concern that overuse could exacerbate the issue.
Yamal’s rapid rise has been nothing short of remarkable.
He made his senior debut for Barcelona at just 15 and has already collected two La Liga titles, a domestic cup and the Spanish Super Cup.
His breakthrough season was followed by international success, helping Spain lift the Euro 2024 trophy after defeating England in the final.
Earlier this month, the prodigious winger finished runner-up in the Ballon d’Or voting, losing out narrowly to Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé — the very player whose departure from Barcelona helped open the door for his rise to stardom.
Lamine Yamal is widely considered to be the greatest young player in the world
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Off the pitch, Yamal has continued to draw attention as his profile grows.
He is reportedly dating 25-year-old Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole, and Spanish media recently linked him with the purchase of Gerard Piqué and Shakira’s former £9.5million mansion in Barcelona.
For now, though, the focus at the Camp Nou remains on managing Yamal’s health carefully.
The club knows that preserving the fitness of their young star is essential if he is to fulfil the immense promise that has already made him the face of Barcelona’s next generation.