Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente believes Lamine Yamal is yet to produce his finest football at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, warning Belgium that the teenage sensation still has another level to reach ahead of Friday's quarter-final in Los Angeles.
Yamal played a starring role in Spain's UEFA Euro triumph two years ago, but the 18-year-old has not yet reached those heights in the United States, where the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have dominated the goalscoring headlines.
Despite arriving at the tournament while recovering from a late-season injury, Yamal has remained a constant threat on Spain's right wing, contributing one goal but no assists so far.
"We know that the best version of him, the attacking Lamine, is something that we haven't quite seen yet in this World Cup," De la Fuente said. "Not to the level that we're used to."
The Spain boss had labelled Yamal's display in the 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Portugal as one of his best performances and an important step in the youngster's development.
Expanding on those comments, De la Fuente pointed to Yamal's battle with Portugal full-back Nuno Mendes, suggesting the relentless duel took its toll on the defender, who was forced off in the 55th minute.
"We were facing a powerhouse of a rival, and the defender who was marking him ultimately had to do so much that he was injured," De la Fuente said.
The coach also praised Yamal's growing maturity throughout the tournament, insisting the teenager's enthusiasm has never been in question.
"He doesn't need extra motivation. You actually sometimes have to calm his intensity. He's very motivated – he wants to do so much," he added.
Spain head into the quarter-final having yet to concede a goal at the tournament, but they face a Belgium side fresh from a commanding 4-1 victory over the United States.
De la Fuente believes the knockout clash could provide another opportunity for Yamal to showcase his attacking quality.
"He's going to perform on the attacking front – that's very clear," he said.
"He's got incredible potential. And, of course, this is yet to come in some respects."
