Lamine Yamal expected to start as Spain travel to Split to face Croatia in Nations League

Spain will travel to Stadion Poljud in Split to face Croatia in a UEFA Nations League 2026-27 Group A3 fixture on Tuesday, October 6, with questions over whether Lamine Yamal will feature in the XI.

Yes, Lamine Yamal is expected to play for Spain against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League 2026-27. La Roja arrive in Split unbeaten in the competition, having won all three of their opening matches.

Spain have scored 10 goals across their last three matches and recorded a 3-1 home win over Czechia in their most recent outing. Yamal has been the side’s most influential attacker in that period, registering five goal contributions and opening the scoring in the sixth minute against Czechia; he was substituted at half-time in that game.

Coach Luis de la Fuente addressed Yamal’s potential involvement at the pre-match press conference and stressed squad management across a busy schedule. “We’ve always fielded the best team for the match we have to play. From the beginning, I mentioned how tough it would be to play so many matches in such a short period. And tomorrow we face a team that’s in perfect condition,” De la Fuente said. “Nobody will play more than 270 minutes, which would be playing three out of four matches,” he continued. “Lamine has played two out of three. And most of the players will play three out of four. We’re always trying to find the right balance for matches that are very demanding.”

As things stand, there is a good chance Yamal will keep his place in the starting lineup, but he is likely to be substituted at half-time or before the hour mark in order to manage his workload. The coaching staff have signalled a rotation approach to ensure minutes are controlled across the international window.

According to UEFA statistics, Yamal has logged 203 minutes across Spain’s first three Nations League matches, an average of 67.67 minutes per game, and has scored four goals and provided one assist in the tournament so far.

The match will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2026; in India the game will kick off at 12:15 AM IST on October 7. For additional updates Khel Now directs readers to its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels and its Android and iOS apps, and to join its Telegram community.

Spain will aim to secure another three points in Group A3 to extend their perfect start in the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League.