La Liga named Lamine Yamal its Player of the Year, an honor previously won by both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Just as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated La Liga for years, this new era appears destined to belong to Lamine Yamal. The young Barcelona winger was named the league’s best player of the season after a standout campaign. “A wonderkid! Barcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins La Liga Player of the Season,” the Spanish league announced Friday on its official social media accounts alongside a photo of the 18-year-old holding the trophy. The same post highlighted four other players as Yamal’s main challengers. Kylian Mbappe finished second after an impressive season with Real Madrid despite the club’s lack of silverware and his injury struggles. Also featured among the contenders were Villarreal’s Nicolas Pepe, Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi, and Real Betis’ Pablo Fornals. Lamine Yamal played a decisive role in Barcelona’s title-winning campaign, recording 16 goals and 12 assists in 28 matches — an average of one goal contribution per game. Despite dealing with a groin issue early in the season and a hamstring injury that sidelined him during the final stretch of the campaign, the winger established himself as the team’s primary attacking threat. He even carried much of the offensive burden during the absences of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, the other star attackers in the squad. A WONDERKID! 🪄@FCBarcelona star, Lamine Yamal wins #LALIGAEASPORTS 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍!#LALIGAPOTS | #PREMIOSANUALESLALIGA— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) June 5, 2026 Yamal follows in Messi’s footsteps In previous years, Lamine Yamal had already shown flashes of brilliance with Barcelona, earning the La Liga U-23 Player of the Season award in both 2024 and 2025. This year, however, he took another step forward and claimed the league’s top individual honor, which had been awarded to Raphinha the previous season. In doing so, Yamal surpassed Lionel Messi as the youngest player ever to win the award. The Argentine forward first claimed the honor at age 21 after starring during the 2008-09 season. However, when comparing the two, Lamine still has a long way to go. Messi holds the record for the most La Liga Player of the Year awards with nine, including a streak of five consecutive wins. After his first recognition in 2009, he also won the award in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Cristiano Ronaldo trails far behind Despite enjoying a brilliant nine-year spell with Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to establish himself as La Liga’s dominant individual star and spent much of that era competing with Lionel Messi’s overwhelming influence. As a result, CR7 won the league’s Player of the Year award only once during his nine seasons in Spain, claiming the honor in 2014.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that Lamine Yamal will miss the team's pre-tournament friendlies. While remaining optimistic about the forward's recovery, the coaching staff has stopped short of guaranteeing his availability for the 2026 World Cup opener. Spain are scheduled to play the first of their two pre-World Cup warm-up matches on Thursday, June 4, against Iraq. Manager Luis de la Fuente will be forced to navigate the fixture without star forward Lamine Yamal due to an ongoing injury. While the manager remains positive regarding the player’s status for Spain’s opening match in North America, there is still a tangible chance he could be sidelined. The Barcelona star suffered a torn biceps femoris in his left hamstring in late April, bringing an early end to his club season. Yamal recently admitted that he initially feared the injury would cost him his spot at the tournament before de la Fuente officially included him in the final 26-man roster. While Yamal’s rehabilitation process remains ongoing and entering in the final stages, his status for Spain‘s Group H opener against Cape Verde on June 15 can’t be confirmed. “It is certain that he is not going to play,” de la Fuente stated during a press conference when asked about the upcoming friendly against Iraq. “The plan is to follow our scheduled timeline, which gives us confidence that he will be ready for June 15. There is still time left, and we will see how he progresses. We might have to pause his workload at some point—I don’t know, I’m just speculating”. El último entrenamiento en nuestra casa.Te echaremos de menos, Ciudad del Fútbol.#VamosEspaña | #CopaMundialFIFA pic.twitter.com/qDr7mpuCTI— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) June 3, 2026 The Spanish manager noted that if Yamal’s rehabilitation continues at a normal rate, he should be fit enough to be part of the matchday squad for the World Cup opener, though he refused to confirm his presence. “It doesn’t guarantee he will play,” de la Fuente concluded. “We will see. He might play a few minutes, or he might just complete a training session to build up his physical load so he can be ready for the second match against Saudi Arabia. We will evaluate it moment by moment“. Nico Williams and Mikel Merino ruled out too Compounding Spain’s short-term selection issues, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino have also been ruled out for the friendly against Iraq. The Athletic Club forward is managing a muscle injury that forced him to miss the final three matches of the domestic season, while the Arsenal midfielder only recently returned to action following foot surgery, playing limited minutes in the Premier League finale. While the long-term outlook remains highly positive for both players, de la Fuente is unwilling to take unnecessary risks. He confirmed they will sit out alongside Yamal to prioritize their full recoveries, though he remains confident all three will be medically cleared before facing Cape Verde. “I believe Lamine, Nico Williams, and Mikel Merino will all be available for the first match,” de la Fuente assured. “I am certain they will be fine. That doesn’t mean we think they have to play right away—we might wait a little longer. But in terms of physical condition, they will be ready”.
The World Cup list of Spain had many players from Barcelona, which Iker Casillas linked with their financial issues. The World Cup squad that Luis de la Fuente announced for Spain brought contrasting reactions between the two giants: Barcelona have eight players, while Real Madrid did not get a single call-up. For Iker Casillas, there is a clear explanation. He made the comments during a Kings League conversation with Gerard Piqué. Casillas said: “Everything has a process. For there to be that many Barcelona players, the club had to go through a major financial crisis that forced them to rely on the academy. Then it’s a matter of whether the young players are good enough or not, but for that you first have to trust them and give them continuity.” The two legends were champions in 2010 in South Africa, with the goalkeeper being the team’s standout player as they analyzed the squad list, a list they mostly agreed with following the manager’s decision on Monday. Casillas on the goalkeepers One of the main doubts before the list was announced was in goal. Unai Simón is the clear starter for de la Fuente, not only because of his performances with Athletic Club, but also because of his strong record with the national team. García was chosen to be the third goalkeeper of Spain (Alex Caparros/Getty Images) The other logical choice was backup David Raya, who has had an excellent season with Arsenal that could even end with a Champions League title. However, the difficult decision was to leave Joan García ahead of Alex Remiro. Casillas said: “The goalkeeper position was the most well covered. García had a good season. The ones de la Fuente has called up are fine, I would still agree even if he had included others.” Casillas on the absence of Real Madrid players Another major talking point around the list was the absence of Real Madrid players for the first time ever, which sparked controversy because of the team’s level. That was also something the legend addressed. Casillas said: “I, having played in Real Madrid’s academy and being Spanish, am frustrated that none have been called up, it’s tough.”
Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen has indicated his desire to leave Stamford Bridge over a lack of regular game time. The 24-year-old told head of global goalkeeping Ben Roberts he wants consistent first-team football, having joined from Villarreal for £20.7m in 2024. Under former head coach Enzo Maresca, Jorgensen largely acted as Robert Sanchez's understudy, before being rotated in and out under successor Liam Rosenior.
Roberto Ayala revealed details about the way Lionel Scaloni will decide Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In just over a week, on June 1, the deadline set by FIFA for national teams to confirm their 26-player squads for the 2026 World Cup will expire. Argentina have yet to make that announcement, and Roberto Ayala revealed details about Lionel Scaloni’s method for making the final decision. “Each member of the staff makes their own list,” Ayala revealed during a recent interview with Clank. “In the conversations we have, he asks whether each of us has our list ready. Then we send them to the group chat we have, and finally Leo decides.” The former Valencia defender explained that there are as many as six different lists before Scaloni makes the final call. One obviously belongs to the coach himself, who has the final word, while the others come from assistants Roberto Ayala, Walter Samuel and Pablo Aimar — all former national team players as well — plus Matias Manna (match analyst) and Luis Martin (fitness coach). Despite the number of lists involved, Ayala admitted the staff members are usually on the same page. “There are very few differences between us. One more name or one less,” he said before explaining how coach Scaloni handles the process: “He opens the discussion so we can talk things through and different topics come up. Those are our preliminary conversations.” Scaloni’s doubts ahead of the World Cup Argentina were one of the few teams to officially announce the list of 55 players submitted to FIFA on May 11. From there, reports indicate that Scaloni made a preliminary cut to reduce the number to around 35 players, though he has yet to finalize the definitive 26-man squad. One of the main reasons for the caution is the considerable number of players dealing with physical issues whose recovery processes are being evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Most of them also play in defensive positions, which complicates planning: goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and defenders Cristian Romero, Gonzalo Montiel and Nahuel Molina are among them. Ayala explains the debates within Argentina’s staff In the same interview, Roberto Ayala gave details about the criteria Scaloni will use to determine Argentina’s final World Cup roster. “About 80% of the list is already set. There are others we still have to evaluate, whether because of form or physical condition. We also have to consider that something could happen to someone or that a player could still be doubtful,” he explained. “So what do we do then? Do we add a defender or a midfielder? We have to look at the versatility of the players and what they can give you. Whether in some cases we need to play with three or five defenders, and which players can offer you more things,” added the former defender. “We lost (Juan) Foyth, who was important, because he was a reliable center back and a fullback who always delivered,” Ayala lamented, referring to the Villarreal player who suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury earlier this year. “All of that gets evaluated and resolved in a short amount of time.”
Real Madrid and Athletic Club will face against each other in Matchday 38 of the 2025/2026 La Liga. Here’s how fans in the United States can watch the matchup live. Here are all of the details of where you can watch Real Madrid vs Athletic Club on US television and via legal streaming: WHO Real Madrid vs Athletic Club WHAT Spanish LaLiga WHEN 3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT • Saturday, May 23, 2025 WHERE ESPN+ STREAM WATCH NOW Match Overview Real Madrid enters the final matchday of the La Liga season with their fate already sealed. Locked into second place behind champions Barcelona, this game is about pride and ending a second consecutive trophyless season on a positive note for the demanding Santiago Bernabéu crowd. For interim manager Alvaro Arbeloa, it marks his final game at the helm before José Mourinho‘s summer arrival, adding another layer of significance to the closing fixture. Athletic Club arrives in the capital amidst a turbulent campaign, their worst since the 2018/19 season. Sitting in 12th place, their hopes for European qualification are virtually nonexistent. This match represents a chance to salvage some pride and send off their own departing manager, Ernesto Valverde, with a statement performance. Despite a poor run of form, the Basque club will be determined to snap a long winless streak at the Bernabéu that dates back to 2005. Tactical Analysis & Match Context This fixture pits a team that underperformed against massive expectations against a side that simply failed to meet its season objectives. Real Madrid, despite securing a runner-up finish, considers the season a failure after exiting the Champions League and failing to challenge for the domestic title. In contrast, Athletic Club‘s campaign fizzled out, with a poor run of form in the final stretch dropping them into mid-table obscurity and out of the European race entirely. The tactical battle will likely be one-sided on paper. Real Madrid possesses world-class firepower and individual brilliance capable of dismantling any defense, and they will be expected to dominate possession at home. Athletic Club, weakened by injuries and low on confidence, will likely set up a defensive block and look to frustrate the hosts. The key to the match will be whether Madrid‘s attacking stars can maintain their focus and break down a potentially stubborn, but unmotivated, opposition. While the match has no bearing on the league standings for Real Madrid, the motivation is clear: deliver a commanding victory for the home supporters after a disappointing season. For Athletic Club, the stakes are about professionalism and pride. Ending a dismal season with a shock result in Madrid would provide a much-needed morale boost heading into the summer and a new managerial era under Edin Terzic. Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends Historically, this has been a fixture dominated by Real Madrid, especially at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Athletic Club has not secured a victory since 2005. The overall trend points heavily in favor of the home side, who have consistently had the upper hand against their Basque opponents for nearly two decades in Madrid. Recent encounters reinforce this pattern of dominance. Real Madrid has won four of the last five meetings between the two clubs, including a convincing 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Athletic Club‘s sole win in that span came on their home turf, but they have struggled to even find the net against Los Blancos, scoring just twice in the last five matchups. One of the most telling statistics is Real Madrid‘s defensive record in this fixture, having kept four clean sheets in the last five head-to-head games. Furthermore, goals have been surprisingly scarce, with none of the last 13 clashes between these teams producing four or more total goals. This suggests that while Madrid is heavily favored, a high-scoring blowout is not a historical certainty. Squad News & Projected Lineups Both squads are grappling with significa
