Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana has suffered a serious injury during his team’s World Cup Round of 16 victory over co-hosts United States, raising doubts about whether he will play again in the tournament.
Belgium booked their place in the quarterfinals of the FIFA 2026 with an impressive 4-1 win over the US at Seattle Stadium on Monday. Charles De Ketelaere scored twice, while Romelu Lukaku added a late goal, however, the victory was overshadowed by Onana’s injury, which the team confirmed on Tuesday.
Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene said medical tests showed that Onana had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and described the injury as a major setback for both the player and the team.
“Unfortunately, the medical examinations have confirmed that Amadou has suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament,” Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene said in a statement as quoted by Reuters. “This is devastating news, both for him personally and for the team,” he added.
The team also said that, after discussions with Premier League club, Aston Villa, the midfielder will remain with the Belgium squad at least until their quarterfinal clash against Spain on Friday.
During the match, Onana was substituted in the 21st minute after landing awkwardly during the match against the co-hosts. Despite the injury, he was seen celebrating Belgium’s win with his teammates after the game while using crutches.
Belgium had a slow start to the tournament, drawing 1-1 with Egypt and playing out a goalless draw against Iran in the group stage. They then bounced back with a convincing 5-1 win over New Zealand to reach the knockout stage. In the Round of 32, Belgium came from behind to beat Senegal 3-2 in an exciting match and advance to the Round of 16.
Now, Belgium are set to meet Spain in the quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Jul 11 at 12:30 AM IST.