Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has withdrawn from the Spanish national team during the ongoing international break, as La Roja look to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Georgia and Turkiye.

The development, announced in a statement from Las Rozas, has further strained relations between Barcelona and the Spanish Football Federation.

The 18-year-old featured in recent matches against Real Madrid, Club Brugge, and Celta Vigo, but on Monday morning, Barcelona confirmed that Yamal had undergone an “invasive radiofrequency treatment” to address a sports hernia in his groin.

With a recommended recovery period of seven to ten days, Spain released Yamal from duty, calling up Rayo Vallecano’s Jorge de Frutos as his replacement.

Spain’s management expressed “surprise and dismay”, claiming they learned of the procedure hours after it was completed and only received Barcelona’s medical report late Monday night.

This latest episode adds to the ongoing tension between Barcelona and La Roja over player fitness and medical communication.

In September, Barcelona accused Spain of giving Yamal pain-killing injections to make him available for matches against Bulgaria and Turkiye — a move that drew criticism from Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who accused Spain’s manager Luis de la Fuente of lacking empathy.

De la Fuente, however, defended his handling of the young star, insisting that Spain had acted responsibly.