Spain coach heralds Mbappe and Yamal as Messi and Ronaldo era ends
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente noted that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have retired from international football, ending an era. He immediately pointed to Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal as the new stars who will inherit the mantle.
Successors identified by Spain coach
In an interview with EFE ahead of Spain’s final two Nations League group matches against the Czech Republic and England, De la Fuente called himself a “fervent admirer” of what Messi and Ronaldo have represented. He said they have been an example for the world of soccer, players who had already won everything and still wanted to win, highlighting their performance, behaviour and sportsmanship at ages 39 and 41. De la Fuente also dismissed the notion that Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell from Portugal, following his clash with coach Jorge Jesus, was bittersweet, declaring “No, no way, God forbid”.
Emphasising that the sport will not lack stars, he listed Mbappe and Yamal as the phenomena already present who will “mark an era in soccer, for sure”. He added that it is healthy for football not to rely on a single figure, insisting there need to be two or three reference players who create joy, rivalry and a spirit of competition. The upcoming FIFA date will be the first in 23 years without either Messi or Ronaldo, the previous such occasion dating back to August 2003 when Argentina and Portugal fielded teams without their biggest stars.
Steven Gerrard puts 19‑year‑old Lamine Yamal above Messi and Ronaldo
Injuries keep Mbappe and Yamal out
Neither Mbappe nor Yamal will feature on Thursday as both are sidelined with injuries. Mbappe misses France’s Nations League match against Italy at the San Siro because of a hamstring problem, a condition confirmed by coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday. L’Equipe reported the hamstring issue is not believed to be serious, yet Zidane made clear France will not take chances with their captain. The forward missed Wednesday’s training session to work with the medical staff, and Zidane called up PSG forward Senny Mayulu as his replacement.
Yamal will miss Spain’s match against the Czech Republic in Prague. The Barcelona winger has been dealing with right‑knee inflammation since the Champions League match against Aston Villa on 3 November, which kept him in Barcelona and delayed his arrival at the training camp. De la Fuente said the precaution was necessary, noting Yamal was probably willing to play but the risk was not worth taking.
de la Fuente backs Lamine Yamal, slams rumours before Prague clash
He expects Yamal’s minor discomfort to allow him to join the squad on Thursday night or Friday morning, giving him two training sessions before Spain face England on Sunday at the Metropolitano. Mbappe is expected to recover for France’s final group game against Turkey on the same day, although Zidane said only “we’ll see” whether he is ready.