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Spain rests stars for World Cup opener

ESPN Soccer •
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Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Víctor Muñoz will miss Spain's final World Cup warmup against Peru. Coach Luis de la Fuente confirmed the trio will remain at Chattanooga base camp to recover from injuries before Spain's Group H campaign begins against Cabo Verde on June 15.

Yamal, who injured his hamstring for Barcelona on April 22, is expected to be "ready to play" against Cabo Verde, though his involvement may be limited to "just a few minutes." Williams faces a similar recovery situation as Spain prepares matches against Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

Spain arrived in Chattanooga on Friday, with Yamal and Williams participating in an open training session before signing autographs. The decision to rest both young stars reflects Spain's cautious approach to protecting their talent for the World Cup, which begins in Atlanta next week.