Ralf Rangnick, to his credit, has a plan.

The Austria head coach laid out his approach to containing Spain’s Lamine Yamal ahead of their FIFA World Cup round-of-32 match on July 2, 2026, in Inglewood, California. Rangnick described Yamal as an “excellent player” who could dominate the game for the next 12 to 14 years, and stressed that his side must limit the winger’s space and, critically, his opportunities to dribble.

The Yamal problem

Yamal underlined the point emphatically in Spain’s 4-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia on June 22, where he scored the opening goal and tormented the opposing defense for the full match.

The Austrian coach went further, suggesting that if Yamal maintains his focus and avoids significant injuries, he could reach a skill level comparable to Messi.

Rangnick’s track record with tactical puzzles

Rangnick has been at the helm of the Austrian national team since April 2022, and his tenure has been defined by a willingness to punch above the team’s weight class through meticulous preparation.

Rangnick’s emphasis on limiting dribbling opportunities suggests Austria will likely deploy a strategy of doubling up on Yamal’s side of the pitch. This could mean the left-back and left-sided midfielder working in tandem to ensure Yamal never faces a one-on-one situation. The trade-off, of course, is that committing two players to shadow one winger leaves gaps elsewhere, and Spain have more than enough quality across their squad to exploit those openings.