Barcelona vs. Spain: Lamine Yamal Pulled From National Team After Secret Groin Surgery

A dispute has started between FC Barcelona and Spain’s national team after Barcelona sent teenage player Lamine Yamal home from the national team camp because he had a surprise, minor surgery on his groin.

The Spanish team was angry because Barcelona did not tell them about the procedure, which gives the young player an injury break but interrupts Spain’s training for important World Cup games.

This incident shows a major disagreement over who should decide how to manage Yamal’s health as he deals with an overuse injury common in young, growing athletes.

The controversy centers on a medical procedure Yamal received just as he was due to report for international duty.

Yamal underwent a radiofrequency procedure (a treatment using heat to target nerves and relieve chronic pain, often used for conditions like pubalgia or “sports hernia”) on the morning of Monday, November 10.

This is a common treatment for athletes that offers pain relief and can allow for a faster return to training than traditional surgery.

According to the RFEF, they did not learn of the “invasive” procedure until late that evening, when Barcelona sent a medical report recommending 7–10 days of rest.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente called the situation “unprecedented” and “not very normal,” implying a lack of professional courtesy and collaboration.

Prioritizing the player’s immediate health and recovery time, the RFEF immediately released Yamal from the squad, forcing them to call up Rayo Vallecano’s Jorge de Frutos as a replacement for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey.

A History of Bad Blood Over Player Care

This incident is the latest in a series of disputes between Barcelona and the Spanish national team regarding Yamal’s physical condition, highlighting a fundamental disagreement over who has the final say in player management.

Just two months earlier, Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick publicly criticized the Spanish federation after Yamal returned from international duty with an aggravated groin injury.

Flick stated the RFEF was “not taking care of the players,” alleging that Yamal had been administered painkillers to play significant minutes in two matches despite arriving with discomfort.

Yamal subsequently missed four Barcelona games.

Yamal’s injury, often referred to as pubalgia or a sports hernia, is a common overuse injury among young athletes experiencing rapid physical growth and intense playing schedules.

The injury has already caused him to miss time for Barcelona this season, and the club’s quick action with the radiofrequency treatment suggests they are prioritizing a rapid, definitive solution to ensure his long-term availability.

Barcelona sources maintain that they have been in “constant communication” with the RFEF regarding the chronic nature of the injury and that the treatment was a necessary and responsible action taken to manage their player’s health.

At just 18 years old, Yamal is already a key player for both Barcelona and the senior Spain national team, having become Spain’s youngest-ever player and goalscorer.

His recurrent injury and the club-versus-country conflict underscore the high stakes involved in managing a generational talent.

As Spain currently tops their World Cup qualifying group and Barcelona enters a vital stretch of the season, both entities depend heavily on Yamal’s fitness.

The ultimate goal for both the club and the federation must be to find a collaborative path forward to ensure the long-term well-being of the player.

As Flick previously insisted, “We have to take care of him, not just us, also the national team.”