Is Lamine Yamal Starting in the World Cup Today? Spain Starting XI vs. Austria

In Spain's World Cup Round of 32 match against Austria, Lamine Yamal will participate in his first-ever knockout stage game.

Following an abbreviated stint during the group stage, Yamal is set to play in the Round of 32 after Spain won Group H. With that said, the 18-year-old megastar has been unable to start 100% of games since arriving at the World Cup with a hamstring issue sustained in April at Barcelona.

Yamal and Spain are the heavy favorites to advance to the Round of 16 vs. Austria today, returning a 1.09x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks to win the 3:00 p.m. ET match in regulation.

Let's look at whether Lamine Yamal will start today and highlight Yamal picks for Spain vs. Austria on PrizePicks.

Make your Spain and Lamine Yamal picks for the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 on PrizePicks now!

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Is Lamine Yamal Starting Today in the World Cup Round of 32 vs. Austria?

Yamal has logged only 140 minutes combined across his three World Cup appearances heading into the Round of 32. Spain’s right winger came on as a substitute in its World Cup opener, but after back-to-back starts, it appears the teenager is headed in the right direction.

Yamal’s minutes have increased from 19 in his first appearance to 45 in his first start and 76 last Friday on Matchday 3. 

Spain may not need Yamal for all 90 minutes if things go well, sure. But it appears that fitness-wise, he wants it known he can start and play an entire game if need be.

Projected Spain Lineup vs. Austria

Spain is widely expected to field many of the same starting XI from its win over Uruguay. Dani Olmo is projected to return to the lineup, replacing Mikel Merino, who started on Friday.

Predicted Spain XI (4-3-3): Unai Simón, Marcos Llorente, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsí; Rodri, Pedri, Olmo; Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal, Yamal

Team Picks markets are settled after full-time (90 minutes + stoppage). Extra time and penalties are not included.

Find our full Spain vs. Austria prediction and lineups HERE.

Lamine Yamal Pick, World Cup Stats vs. Austria

After limited minutes during the group stage, Yamal and Spain head to the Round of 32 with the bigger picture still in sight. The 18-year-old spoke about how monotonous the group stage can be and how “the World Cup starts now” in the knockout rounds.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the teen phenom’s PrizePicks projections for his first-ever knockout match:

• 0.5 Goals (Demon)
• 33.5 Passes Attempted
• 3.5 Shots
• 0.5 Shots on Target (Goblin)
• 8.5 Attempted Dribbles
• 5.5 Crosses (Goblin)
• 1.5 Shots Assisted (Goblin)
• 24.5 Fantasy Score
• 2.5 Tackles (Demon)
• 0.5 Assists (Demon)
• 1.5 Goal + Assist (Demon)
• 0.5 Fouls (Goblin)
• 1.5 Fouls Drawn (Goblin)
• 0.5 Cards (Demon)
• 1.5 Offsides (Demon)

With so many options to choose from, here are some of the most enticing Lamine Yamal projections for Thursday afternoon’s Round of 32 match:

Lamine Yamal vs. Austria: 3.5 Shots, 1.5 Shots Assisted (Goblin)

• In his 140 minutes on the pitch, Yamal has taken 8 total shots across his three appearances. He ranks second on the team in shots per game (2.7) despite his restricted minutes.
• Spain ranks just outside the top five teams in the competition in shots per game (18.3) but ranks first in total possession (69.3%) and can generate endless shooting chances throughout the match.
• Austria conceded 6 goals in the group stage, facing just under 12 total shots per match from its Group J opponents.
• The 18-year-old has had 4+ shots in nine of his last 13 competitive matches (EURO, Nations League, and World Cup) in which he's played at least 75 minutes.
• Austria faced 3.67 shots per game from right-wing attackers during the group stage. Manager Ralf Rangnick has tried three different left-back options, all of whom have struggled to defend.
• Yamal has solidified himself as one of the best passing wingers in the world, averaging just 1 key pass per game in his downsized playing time. He averaged 2.7 and 1.4 key passes in his last two competitive tournaments.
• Yamal led La Liga this past season with 2.6 key passes per game, creating a league-high 26 big chances in the process.
• All three right-sided attackers Austria faced in the group stage completed 2 key passes per match. 

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Make Spain vs. Austria World Cup Round of 32 Picks on PrizePicks

Lamine Yamal is in line for his third consecutive start after coming on as a reserve during Spain’s opener. The Barcelona star might be in line to play the full game if deemed necessary. An increase in minutes could bode well for Yamal’s projections on PrizePicks heading into the Round of 32.

Whether you’re pairing Lamine Yamal with Spain picks, claiming your $50 bonus using promo code PLAYBOOKFC, aiming to win those Final tickets in the Rep Your Side Sweepstakes, or stacking your World Cup picks, PrizePicks is where to run your World Cup takes from the opening whistle through the Final.

Open the PrizePicks app, head to the World Cup board, and make your Spain vs. Austria picks before kickoff.

Keep it locked on PrizePicks Playbook all tournament for World Cup predictions, picks, news, and analysis for every game, every day of the World Cup.