WWith just over two months until the start of the new World Cup, national teams are playing friendlies and evaluating their group stage opponents, fine-tuning the details to be the best they can be.
And it was in this context that one of Spanish national team star Lamine Yamal’s teammates at Barcelona warned his Uruguay teammates about this.
Araujo warns teammates: pray
Uruguay are preparing for their final friendly before announcing their 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup after a 1-1 draw with England at Wembley. The match will be against Algeria at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Italy, but defender Ronald Araujo is already thinking about playing in the World Cup.
The match will take on added significance as Marcelo Bielsa’s side will face Spain (along with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde) in Group H, and two of Barça’s star players.
Araujo shares the locker room and the field with 18-year-old star forward Lamine Yamal, so he knows first-hand how he plays and how difficult it is to play against him.
Asked about his teammate, Araujo emphasized Lamine’s talent and assured that everything he does in training is replicated on the field. But the highlight was when he was asked to give advice to Guillermo Varela or Joaquín Piqueres, to which the defender issued a warning to his team-mates: “If you all know how to pray, pray,” he told AUFTV with a laugh.
And, a little more seriously, he answered with complete confidence: “No, no, we have great players too,” he clarified. “They are very decisive players so they may be able to shift their approach and avoid one-on-ones, but we have the tools to counter that.”
Araujo’s comments come at a time when Yamal has established himself as one of the biggest stars in world football at just 18 years old and is worrying not only his traditional rivals but also his own teammates. What’s more, Spain is becoming one of the favorites to win this year, making the impact even more significant.
Meanwhile, Uruguay will play their opening match against Saudi Arabia on June 15th at Hard Rock Stadium. They will then play against Cape Verde at the same venue on the 21st, before traveling to Mexico and facing the long-awaited match against Spain at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara on the 26th.
