Since making his debut for Barcelona’s senior team at just 15 years old in August 2023, Yamal has quickly risen to become one of the top talents in the sport. ..Continue Reading
In 2024, he played a pivotal role for both club and country, contributing to Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024 and helping Barcelona secure a domestic treble.
His standout performances earned him second place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings, just behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, and he became the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice.
Despite his rapid rise, the 18-year-old is currently dealing with a chronic groin issue that could persist throughout his career.
During what many described as a lacklustre showing in El Clasico, observers noted Yamal appeared to be in pain, suggesting he was playing through injury.
He has missed several matches this season for both Barcelona and Spain due to this groin issue, which may continue to affect him long-term.
Although the club has not issued an official medical statement, widespread reports indicate Yamal is dealing with pubalgia—a chronic condition that causes ongoing discomfort in the pubic area.
A report from Spanish outlet Sport describes pubalgia as a complex issue, and while the severity of Yamal’s case remains unclear, full recovery may not be possible.
It notes that pubalgia can stem from multiple factors and is not a muscle injury that can be considered ‘cured’ even after healing.
Explaining the condition, physiotherapist Lluis Puig said: “First of all we must say that pubalgia is not a muscle injury, but rather an alteration in the pubic area, where different muscles converge.
“We have to work on different levels, and we can’t say that it’s an injury that will be gone in a month. No, we’ll have to live with it, and we’ll have to do preventative and compensatory work to give him the assurances to be able to play at the highest level.”
Puig also mentioned that the injury may be linked to changes in posture and muscle development as Yamal grows.
Sports traumatologist Dr. Ripoll also commented on how the condition could affect Yamal’s performance, speaking to El Larguero.
“It is an injury that is frankly difficult to treat. It’s characterised by pain that reduces the player’s ability to move and shoot by almost 50%, which is exactly what we saw in El Clasico,” Dr. Ripoll explained.
“It’s a disabling pain that allows the player to participate in matches but keeps him from his best level and significantly diminishes his performance.”
Yamal isn’t the first Barcelona player to deal with pubalgia—club icon Lionel Messi was treated for the same condition twice between 2000 and 2008.
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