Lamine Yamal faced unexpected trouble after Spain’s emphatic 6-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Turkey, as the teenager was reportedly unable to travel with his teammates due to losing his passport.
Spain cruised to victory at the Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium, with Arsenal’s Mikel Merino netting a hat-trick, Pedri scoring twice, and Ferran Torres adding another. Yamal didn’t find the net but contributed with two assists and was briefly involved in a minor on-field dispute with Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, who shoved him during the second half.
Following the game, Yamal appeared distressed when he couldn’t locate his passport. Turkish outlet Beyaz Futbol released footage showing the 18-year-old searching the team bus, returning to the dressing room, and even going through his suitcase in a car park alongside staff members. Journalist Emir later confirmed that Yamal had left the stadium without the crucial document.
The Spanish Football Federation quickly contacted Turkish authorities, who worked with local police to resolve the issue. Yamal eventually departed Turkey separately from the squad on a private jet.
The 2025 Ballon d’Or nominee is now set to return to Barcelona training ahead of Sunday’s home fixture against Valencia. The situation highlighted a contrast with the England national team, where players, including Yamal’s Barcelona teammate Marcus Rashford, typically hand over their passports to FA staff during international duty for safekeeping.
