Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana will miss the remainder of the World Cup after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. The injury occurred in the 19th minute of Belgium's 4-1 win against the United States on Monday.
Team doctor Brahim Hacene confirmed the diagnosis in a statement released by the Belgian soccer federation. "This is devastating news," Hacene said, "both for him personally and for the team."
Onana, 24, appeared in four games for Belgium during the tournament, making his second start against the U.S. He had previously played in two matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored a goal against the U.S. in a World Cup warmup match in March. Hans Vanaken replaced Onana in the 21st minute of the match against the United States and went on to score one of Belgium's four goals.
Onana, who joined Aston Villa of the Premier League in 2024 after playing for Everton, will remain with the team for their quarterfinal match against Spain. The Belgian federation stated that there are no other significant injuries on the roster. Midfielders Jérémy Doku and Kevin De Bruyne, who had fitness concerns or did not play in the match against the U.S., participated in training on Tuesday. Belgium is set to face Spain on Friday for a semifinal berth against the winner of the match between France and Morocco.